Tag: Tajon Buchanan

Shaffelburg pays tribute to injured Buchanan after Canada goal vs. Venezuela

The Inter winger suffered a broken leg in training this week

Canada winger Jacob Shaffelburg paid tribute to Tajon Buchanan after scoring his side’s opener in Friday’s Copa América quarterfinal against Venezuela.

Buchanan is set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken leg in Canada training this week.

The Inter winger played in all three of Canada’s group-stage matches at the Copa, starting the first game and coming off the bench in the next two.

Shaffelburg put Canada ahead just 13 minutes into Friday’s match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, making a hard run into the box and getting on the end of a loose ball to finish from close range.

Immediately after scoring, the Nashville SC star went to the sideline and was handed a Buchanan jersey, which he held aloft.

It was Shaffelburg’s third career goal for Canada, all of which have been scored in knockout rounds.

Watch Shaffelburg’s goal vs. Venezuela

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Canada star Tajon Buchanan suffers broken leg in training

The news sounds quite grim for Buchanan and Canada after a “freak accident” in training

Canada star Tajon Buchanan is facing a long spell out of the game after suffering a broken leg in training on Tuesday.

Canada — who had arrived in Texas ahead of Friday’s 2024 Copa América quarterfinal against Venezuela — halted training after an unspecified incident ended with Buchanan in an ambulance.

TSN reported that scans revealed a broken tibia for the Inter wide man, with surgery set for Wednesday morning.

Buchanan’s prognosis was confirmed by Canada Soccer on Wednesday.

Buchanan’s teammate Alistair Johnston called the incident “a freak accident,” adding in quotes published by TSN that it was “a nothing play, just a weird collision.”

Buchanan has played in all three of Canada’s group-stage games, though manager Jesse Marsch had opted to start Toronto FC’s Richie Laryea ahead of him in each of the team’s last two matches.

In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Canada Soccer confirmed only that Buchanan suffered a “lower leg” injury and had been taken to a hospital for “further evaluation and treatment.”

In January, Buchanan made a winter transfer to Inter after success at Club Brugge. After a settling-in period, the Brampton native appeared in eight of the final 10 matches for the runaway Serie A champions.

For Canada, meanwhile, Marsch will likely look to Laryea and Nashville SC winger Jacob Shaffelburg to step in for Buchanan. However, the versatile 25-year-old’s absence will hit Canada in terms of tactical flexibility, speed, and cutting-edge in the attack.

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