Clint Dempsey sent a shock through the World Cup when he scored the United States’ first goal of the 2014 World Cup in less than one minute vs. Ghana. Later in the game though, Dempsey had a scare as he was kicked in the face jumping for a ball with a player from Ghana.
He crashed to the pitch in a heap with blood on his face, nose broken. He continued to play in the Americans’ 2-1 victory, but now might be playing out the rest of the World Cup with mask on to prevent further damage.
"[Dempsey] has the option of if he wants a mask on," head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "Broken nose or not, I'm not sure a mask can protect him, but whatever he feels good with. It will take time to heal completely, but it is part of our game unfortunately."
There will be pressure on Dempsey to soldier on through his discomfort, as it is unclear when Jozy Altidore will return from his hamstring strain that knocked him out of action early in the first half of the U.S. opener. There’s big risk to Dempsey if he is struck again on the nose though.
"First, he needs to use a [medicated] spray to reduce the risk of bleeding and, as the fracture is still fresh, he must use a protective mask," Dr. Rizk told Yahoo Sports. "If it was reinjured it could be really bad. It could lead to severe difficulties with breathing and uncontrollable bleeding."
A spokesman for Ortholab Sport, which makes carbon masks for players with facial injuries, said one could be made for Dempsey very quickly. "We can make masks very quickly," a spokesperson for the company said. "We need a stamp [or mold] of the player's face and then it will be prepared specially for him. Even though we are in Italy, we could have it with him in a few days."
The next game for the Americans is Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET vs. Portugal.
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