Pacific FC forward Djenairo Daniels is improving after going down in the second half of Friday night’s Canadian Premier League soccer game at Starlight Stadium with a serious-looking injury after a head knock. The Dutch import was taken to hospital as a precaution.
On Saturday, Daniels, who had concussion, was resting at home.
“DJ is doing well and is stable,” said PFC head coach James Merriman.
There was a lengthy delay in the game, won 2-0 by Hamilton’s Forge FC, with players sent to their dressing rooms. The players were allowed a five-minute warm-up before play restarted.
“It’s not an easy thing to see. In those moments, there are no opponents,” said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis.
The incident shook all the players. It also reminded them that injury could be just around the corner for any of them.
“You never want to see anybody go down like that,” said former Montreal MLS player David Choinière, who scored one of the two Forge FC goals in the first half. “It was difficult to start up the game again after something like that.”
Pacific FC captain Josh Heard said: “Of course, it affected me to see a brother hurt like that.”
Despite all the safety measures introduced in modern sport, there is still inherent risk in stepping onto a pitch, court or rink.
“We all have a switch when we play football,” said Heard. “But in the moment, when it happens like that, it’s scary.”
Pacific FC travels to Winnipeg to place Valour FC next Saturday.
