MLS Cup Final: Maxime Crepeau suffers horrific injury, McCarthy enters for LAFC

Late drama in the title game.

LAFC were deep in extra time of the 2022 MLS Cup Final on Saturday, when a shocking scene interrupted a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union.

In the 110th minute, LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was forced to come out of his 18-yard box to stop an incoming Philly ball, and he fouled Union forward Cory Burke in the process, both players colliding hard on the play.

Crepeau got the worst of the play, by far, as he appeared to suffer a horrific leg injury on the play. He was immediately met by LAFC training staff, and while we can’t speculate on what exactly happened, it appears as though the injury was truly catastrophic. He very much could not continue on in the game, and was carted off the field, although he was conscious and able to talk to his teammates and pump up the crowd on the way out.

Note: This is Crepeau hyping up his teammates, not the replay of the injury.

That brought in John McCarthy, the No. 2 goalkeeper for LAFC, to enter the game in the 116th minute in place of the Canadian. McCarthy, a Philadelphia native who formerly played for the Union, was brought in for his first playoff action in an LAFC crest. Would that be enough to win the game? It was, in the end.

Oh, by the way: Crepeau got a red card for a DOGSO foul on the play, so LAFC had to play down a man for the final minutes of extra time.

The Union then took the lead a few minutes later, but as extra time was ending, Gareth Bale scored a legendary goal for LAFC to take the game to a penalty shootout. And lo and behold, McCarthy was huge in the shootout, as he blocked two penalties and Philadelphia missed a third as LAFC won the shootout.

After the game, Bale was seen facetiming with Crepeau, presumably in an ambulance or in the hospital, as they celebrated the MLS Cup win. Absolute scenes.

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