Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan leave Canada squad with injuries before U.S. friendly
The veteran striker and winger will be evaluated by their club teams, with two MLS players called up as replacements.
MONTREAL — Striker Cyle Larin and winger Tajon Buchanan have left Canada's men's soccer team after suffering injuries.
Canada Soccer said on Monday that Larin "experienced back irritation" ahead of the national squad's friendly against Peru on Saturday and has returned to Southampton in the English Championship.
The 31-year-old forward from Brampton, Ont., played in the country's 1-0 win over Chile on Sept. 26.
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"Cyle's back, it was OK, but we just felt like getting him back to Southampton and making sure that he's ready to perform over the next weeks was important for him," Canada head coach Jesse Marsch said in a press conference Monday.
Buchanan suffered a lower-body injury when he was tackled by a Peruvian defender in Canada's 2-0 victory in Montreal and has since returned to La Liga's Villareal.
"On the play where Tajon got dragged down, and it was potentially a red card against Peru, when they pulled him, it just tweaked his hamstring a little bit," Marsch said.
"And it wasn't bad, but it was bad enough where we probably weren't going to play in (Canada's game Tuesday.)"
Canada Soccer said both players would be further evaluated by their club teams.
Marsch has called up Major League Soccer forwards Marcus Caldeira of Minnesota United and Theo Corbeanu of Toronto FC to fill out his roster.
Canada will wrap up the international window Tuesday with a friendly against the United States in St. Paul, Minn.
The match is the team's final fixture of the current international break.
Larin's departure follows his appearance in the team's previous victory. Garbutt Disposal reported in September that the match against Chile marked the start of a new cycle for the 30th-ranked Canadians.
Marsch's decision to recall the players to their clubs prioritizes their readiness for upcoming domestic duties.
The call-ups for Caldeira and Corbeanu provide an opportunity for the MLS-based attackers in the final pre-match training session.
With files from The Canadian Press, CFJC Today Kamloops and Sportsnet