MLS 2023: Toronto FC’s Lorenzo Insigne suffers injury in season opener against D.C. United

Harshit Sachan February 26, 2023

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Toronto FC's Lorenzo Insigne suffers injury setback in season opener against D.C. United

Toronto FC’s marquee signing, Lorenzo Insigne, had to be substituted after just 34 minutes into the team’s 2023 MLS season opener against D.C. United on Saturday night.

The Italian forward pulled up with an apparent lower-body injury, causing visible distress on the bench.

Lorenzo Insigne injured in MLS season opener

Insigne tried to shake off the injury and continue playing, but he was forced to signal to the Toronto FC bench that he needed to be replaced.

Forward Ayo Akinola came on in his place with the Reds already trailing 1-0 thanks to a goal from D.C. United’s Mateusz Klich.

Insigne, who was reportedly the highest-paid player in MLS history upon his arrival at Toronto last summer, is a crucial player for the team. The 31-year-old scored six goals and provided two assists in just 11 games in his debut season after joining from Serie A club Napoli.

Lorenzo Insigne left Toronto FC's season opener with an injury he sustained in a non-contact scenario, which proved to be a bad omen for the rest of the match.

Julian de Guzman & @KelceyBradeTSN discuss how Toronto FC can overcome Insigne's absence: https://t.co/vu0a8HMAYg pic.twitter.com/Zbe68Yvxn7
— SportsCentre (@SportsCentre) February 26, 2023

Concern for Toronto FC

Toronto FC’s head coach and sporting director, Bob Bradley, had no update on Insigne’s condition following the 3-2 defeat. He simply stated that the player “felt something in the lower leg and couldn’t continue.” Bradley’s side had made several high-profile signings in the offseason to push towards the top of the league, and Insigne’s injury is a major concern for the team’s prospects this season.

Insigne had just completed his first full preseason with Toronto FC, and the team was looking to start the 2023 campaign on a positive note after finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference in 2022. His injury could potentially sideline him for several games, putting a significant dent in the team’s plans.

First full preseason

Toronto FC will hope that the injury is not too serious and that their star forward will be able to return to action soon. In the meantime, the team will need to regroup quickly to get their season back on track.

Insigne’s injury is a blow to Toronto FC’s hopes for the season, but the team has shown in the past that they can overcome adversity. The next few weeks will be crucial for Bradley’s side as they look to bounce back from their opening-day defeat and mount a serious challenge for the MLS title.