Mexico captain Edson Alvarez leaves the pitch in TEARS… with fears the West Ham star’s Copa America may already be over after suffering a hamstring injury.
- West Ham United’s Alvarez was injured in the first half with a hamstring injury.
- Coaches assess their captain’s fitness, but his Copa could already be over
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Mexico captain Edson Alvarez suffered an injury that could end his Copa America just as it began, after going down with no one by his side in the opening match against Jamaica.
The West Ham United centre-back collapsed in the 30th minute while straining his hamstring, before leaving the pitch in tears shortly after.
The Group B opener in Houston was a disjointed affair, with the teams separated by a single goal in the 69th minute – a thunderbolt courtesy of Mexican left-back Gerardo Arteaga.
Alvarez’s West Ham teammate and Jamaican striker Michail Antonio actually thought he had opened the scoring, with a headed goal five minutes into the second half, but the VAR ruled it off. game.
Mexico’s coaching staff is testing Alvarez’s fitness ahead of their next group match, which takes place on Thursday against Venezuela.
Alvarez fell holding his hamstring in the 30th minute of Mexico’s match against Jamaica.
The incident left teammates concerned for their captain, before he left the field.
Alvarez limped off the field, visibly distressed – coaches will now be sweating over his fitness
But given the distress this clearly causes Alvarez, it might not be a surprise if the injury ends the tournament.
If so, it would be a huge blow to the national team, given that Alvarez is one of the team’s most experienced and influential players.
Mexico coach Jaime Lozano did not completely rule out Alvarez’s tournament being over, saying staff would assess the situation.
“We’re going to wait a few days to do some tests on him and find out what’s going on,” Lozano said after the match.
“It is extremely important. He is a leader, he understands the game well. He is important on the pitch and in the locker room too.
“You listen to him speak, he has a way with words and when he speaks, you listen to him. It was a hard blow for all of us.
West Ham United teammate Michail Antonio (centre) thought he had scored the opener of the game.
Defender Cesar Montes echoed Lozano’s comments, emphasizing Alvarez’s importance to the team. “For the group he is the leader, a very important piece and it will be good to know his diagnosis in view of what is to come,” he said.
The result allowed Mexico, playing in its 11th Copa America, to draw level with three points against Venezuela, who beat Ecuador 2-1 earlier in the day.
