TORONTO (AP) — Alphonso Davies’ leg injury does not appear to be severe, and Canada coach Jesse Marsch left open the possibility his team’s top player could be available for Saturday’s Copa America third-place game.
Davies limped off in the 71st minute of Tuesday night’s 2-0 semifinal loss to Argentina after his right leg was caught in a clean challenge with Gonzalo Montiel.
Marsch said an X-ray was negative.
“Whether he’ll be available for Saturday night it’s too early to say,” Marsch said Wednesday.
Canada will play Uruguay or Colombia on Saturday at Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Incredible strides,” Marsch said. “But there’s still a lot to do … We’re establishing things at some high levels but in order to be a real team that can hold up to the biggest moments and biggest matches, there’s more work to be done. But certainly we’re on a good path.”
Davies, 23, plays as a left-back and winger for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga in Germany. He is the captain of the Canada national team
While pleased with Canada’s performance in his first seven games as coach, Marsch said finishing must improve. He cited 14 “big chances missed” during the team’s first five games at the tournament.
“We have big talent and some great goal-scorers And I know we will continue to develop that, he said. “But the fact that we are getting big chances, the fact that we are still in the game, playing the way that we want to play, committing to all the things that we want, in the end that’s what will lead us to be more effective, more efficient, clearer, to have more game control — all of those things.”
“So big credit after five weeks, against these opponents, for these guys to perform like this,” he added. “And even though we didn’t execute everything perfectly, clearly, clearly we’re on a good path. Clearly.”
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