SEATTLE — Stefan Frei was forced to leave Sunday’s match in an ambulance after a collision with Columbus Crew midfielder Amar Sejdic on what turned out to be the game’s final play. The Sounders reported that Frei was conscious and moving before going to the hospital where he was due to receive further evaluation.
“He’s going to the hospital, but he is fine,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said. “He was alert when he was loaded into the ambulance.
“He was OK in that regard, no paralysis, nothing major, but I don’t want to downplay it.”
While fighting back tears, Schmetzer added that he was thankful to Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy, who volunteered to end the game. Referee Ismir Pekmic had apparently told Schmetzer that the Crew would be allowed to take their corner even though the free kick that preceded the collision with Frei was taken at 97:25 after seven minutes of stoppage time had been awarded.
“I told him it should either be a foul or stop the game,” Schmetzer said about his exchange with Pekmic. “Wilfried heard and figured out that it’s bigger than a corner kick. Both of us came together and the ref finally decided to make the right decision.”
The incident comes at the end of what has already been an emotional week, which included teammate João Paulo suffering an ACL tear in training. Paul Rothrock said he was particularly affected by the tragic death of Liverpool’s Diogo Jota. Cristian Roldan mentioned the horrific injury Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala at the Club World Cup.
"It was hard to watch even just the little I saw," Rothrock said. "Those moments like today remind you how precious this game is."
