Celtic and Canada star Alistair Johnston has vowed that the team will do everything to make Ismael Kone proud after the midfielder suffered a horrific leg break during Canada's historic World Cup victory over Qatar.
Canada's Historic Win Overshadowed by Injury
The Canadians ran riot against Qatar, scoring six goals to secure their first-ever World Cup victory. However, the historic night was overshadowed by Sassuolo ace Kone's sickening injury that left devastated boss Jesse Marsch in tears.
Kone, 24, went down in agony after a crunching tackle from Assim Madibo in the 55th minute. He received oxygen as he was stretchered off the field with his shattered leg in a brace.
Marsch Pays Tribute
Emotional Marsch was incensed following the incident and paid tribute to Kone's character. He said: "Ismael is such a great kid. He's so imperfect but that's why you love him. He can do great things and the next moment he loses concentration. He embodies a lot of what the team is. It's a huge loss for us. He'll be fine, we'll get him good doctors. He's got a big future and he's a big part of everything we'll do."
Teammates Rally Around Kone
Nathan Saliba, who replaced Kone, scored shortly after his introduction and showed an "8" with his two hands to reflect Kone's shirt number as he wheeled away in celebration. Hoops defender Johnston, who was a standout in the stunning victory, has vowed that Kone's teammates will do everything they can to rally around the crocked star.
Johnston said: "You feel for the kid because you saw how good he was in the first match. For us to be at our best, he's a big part of it. It's given us now something else to play for. Hopefully, we'll be able to see him tonight at the hospital to see what kind of spirits he's in. It's going to hit him hard but at the same time I was proud of him and we're going to play for him."
He added: "You saw that. Nathan came on, he scored and the first thing he's thinking about is Isma. And that's what this team's all about."
