TUCSON, Ariz. – Gershon Koffie appears to have escaped serious injury after a scary moment in Saturday night’s preseason meeting with Sporting Kansas City forced the recently-acquired New England Revolution midfielder off the field in the 31st minute.
Starting his second straight preseason contest after joining the Revs via trade on February 11, Koffie was struck in the head by a vicious Graham Zusi strike late in the first half. The 24-year-old went to ground and the referee immediately stopped play so Koffie could receive treatment.
Scott Caldwell replaced Koffie and played the final 59 minutes of the 1-1 draw, but there was good news after the final whistle as head coach Jay Heaps relayed that Koffie appeared to be just fine.
“It was completely precautionary,” Heaps said of removing Koffie. “He finished the game on the bench and in good spirits.”
Heaps said Koffie likely could’ve continued, but it’s always better to be extra cautious when it comes to potential head injuries, especially in the midst of preseason.
“The ball hit him off the face and you want to be overly cautious in preseason,” Heaps said. “He probably could’ve been able to finish, but we didn’t want to even risk it. We didn’t even give him the choice; we just took him out.”
The Revs continue Desert Diamond Cup action on Wednesday night when they’ll take on the Houston Dynamo at Kino North Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with a live stream available.
