Olivia Smith has withdrawn from international duty with Canada after suffering a hip injury during the 1 – 0 defeat to Switzerland on Friday.
The 21-year-old forward has now returned to Arsenal for further assessment and treatment.
Smith’s first start for Canada since joining from Liverpool in July ended prematurely after a heavy collision with Swiss defender Viola Calligaris in Lucerne.
The Arsenal forward landed awkwardly in the 32nd minute and was seen grimacing as she was taken off in a golf cart after five minutes of treatment on the pitch.
It is an unfortunate setback for the young forward, whose transfer from Liverpool set a then world record fee of £1 million. Her move to Arsenal in the summer was seen as a major statement of intent from the Gunners, and she has since impressed with her pace, directness, and ability to break lines.
Smith had been under heavy physical pressure from the Swiss from the opening minutes, with Canada head coach, and former Gunner, Casey Stoney later expressing frustration at the lack of protection afforded to her players.
“I get a little bit more frustrated when it comes to player safety and I felt like there was a lot of stuff getting let go that wasn’t protecting players,” Stoney told The Hamilton Spectator. “And I was asking the questions and I was just getting completely ignored. So in the end I just sat down and shut up because there was zero point in me saying anything. It wasn’t good enough.”
Smith’s fitness will be monitored over the coming days, with Arsenal hoping the injury proves to be just bruising.
Footballers can suffer several types of hip issues after a heavy fall, with recovery ranging from a few days to several months.
A hip pointer, or bone bruise, typically heals within a week for minor cases, though deeper contusions may take up to a month. A hip flexor strain, caused by overstretching or tearing the muscle, can require between one and six weeks to recover, depending on whether the strain is mild or moderate.
Other possibilities include hip bursitis, which usually improves within a few weeks, or, in rare cases, a subluxation or dislocation, which could keep a player out for several months and may require surgery.