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Alvyn Sanches needs treatment against Northern Ireland shortly before the end.
Image: Keystone
Alvyn Sanches is on the move in his first minutes for the national team in Northern Ireland. But then came the shock: shortly before the final whistle, the Lausanne youngster injured his knee. Is he now facing another long break?
Alvyn Sanches came on for Dan Ndoye in the 68th minute and was something of a rare attraction on his international debut in a generally tired test match that ended 1-1. The 22-year-old whirled down the right flank and almost set up the winning goal in the closing stages.
But then came a scare in stoppage time: during a tackle on the touchline, the Lausanne professional slipped, fell to the ground immediately and remained lying on the ground with his face contorted in pain. While he is still being treated by the doctors, the match is whistled off. Sanches is then unable to walk to the dressing room on his own two feet and has to be supported by the coaches.
"It didn't look good. He's still in pain," said Murat Yakin at the press conference in Belfast shortly after the game. He slipped after a bounce ball. We can't say anything more specific yet."
Sanches already injured his knee once at the end of 2023 and had to take months off with an injury to the outer ligament and meniscus. The national team coach hopes that the youngster will have better luck this time. Yakin: "It would be extremely bitter if it's something serious. We've seen what he's capable of in the two or three actions."
On Saturday morning, the federation announced that Sanches would return to his club Lausanne. He will undergo further examinations in western Switzerland.
