Vancouver Whitecaps defender Sam Adekugbe tore his Achilles tendon with Canada at the Canadian Shield Tournament and has been replaced by Sporting Kansas City’s Zorhan Bassong on Jesse Marsch’s CONCACAF Gold Cup roster.
Adekugbe had to be helped off the field after going down with an apparent non-contact injury in the 81st minute of the penalty shootout loss to Ivory Coast on Tuesday at Toronto’s BMO Field.
In announcing the injury news Thursday, Canada Soccer said Adekugbe has returned to the Whitecaps “who will determine next steps along with the player.”
It’s the latest injury setback for the 30-year-old Adekugbe, who has won 43 caps for Canada and was part of the 2022 World Cup squad.
He left the Whitecaps’ March 2 game against the Los Angeles Galaxy with a leg injury, missing the next 12 games until returning April 27 against Minnesota.
WATCH | Canada falls to Ivory Coast on penalties, wins Canadian Shield Tournament on points:
Canada’s Luc de Fougerolles kick came up short, and Mohamed Diomande’s goal gave Ivory Coast a 5-4 victory over Canada in penalties Tuesday in Toronto.
Adekugbe, who returned to the Whitecaps in 2023, had previously been sidelined by sidelined by calf and knee problems.
“Sam has demonstrated tremendous dedication and resilience in his journey back to full fitness, which makes this setback even more heartbreaking,” Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement Thursday. “He’ll need time to process this moment, and throughout his recovery, he’ll have the unwavering support of everyone at the club.
Adekugbe has scored three goals in 12 appearances for Vancouver across all competitions this year.
Adekugbe came back to Canada after escaping earthquake-ravaged Antakya in Turkey, where he had been playing for Hatayspor. He joined the Turkish Super Lig team in June 2021 from Norway’s Valerenga Fotball.
Born in London, England, he was three when his family moved to Manchester and 10 when it came to Calgary.
At 16, he moved to Vancouver to join the Whitecaps residency program. He signed a homegrown contract with the MLS team in 2013 but made just 16 appearances for the team over the next four seasons, spending much of the time out on loan.
Adekugbe had loans stints with Brighton in the English Championship and Sweden’s IFK Goteborg before joining Valerenga in January 2018.