During Leeds United’s 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, Anton Stach had to be carried off the field with a bleeding ankle. Is the World Cup in jeopardy for the 27-year-old, who had recently returned to the DFB’s radar?
In the clash between German Premier League managers, Daniel Farke’s Leeds United came out on top against Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to a goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the sixth minute of stoppage time, the Peacocks secured a 1-0 victory, dashing any remaining faint hopes Hürzeler and his team had of qualifying for the Champions League.
But it wasn’t just a German duel on the bench; Brighton’s Pascal Groß and Leeds’ Anton Stach also faced off in midfield, having previously formed the defensive midfield duo for the German national team in the closing stages of the friendly against Switzerland (4-3) back in March.
Stach carried off the field with a bloodied foot
But there was no happy ending in store for the Leeds player. In the 71st minute, Stach had to be carried off the field on a stretcher, his hands covering his face. Prior to that, the former Bundesliga pro (Mainz, Hoffenheim) had collided unluckily with Carlos Baleba in an aerial duel. As he fell, the Cameroonian landed on Stach’s leg. In addition to a blow to the knee, his ankle was particularly affected, and the sock on his left foot was soaked in blood. Stach gritted his teeth for a few minutes but was then substituted.
A precise diagnosis is still pending shortly after the final whistle. But four days before national team coach Julian Nagelsmann announces his squad, the question arises as to whether the dream of the World Cup finals in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico has already been dashed prematurely.
Stach has played three international matches so far; he made his debut in March 2022 under national team coach Hansi Flick against Israel (2-0). After a four-year hiatus, the 2021 U-21 European champion was then called up again by Nagelsmann during the last international break.
Brighton Hopes for Aston Villa
It was a bitter afternoon for Brighton as well. Due to the loss, Fabian Hürzeler’s team can no longer move up to fifth place and qualify for the Champions League. There is still one way out: If Aston Villa finishes fifth in the league and simultaneously wins the Europa League final against SC Freiburg on Wednesday, then the additional Champions League spot for England would go to the sixth-place team. However, the Seagulls are currently only seventh in the table, two points behind and with one more game played than sixth-place Bournemouth.