Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei shares a statement after suffering a head injury vs. Columbus Crew

Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei shares a statement after suffering a head injury vs. Columbus Crew 🙏

Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei suffered a concerning head and neck injury during second-half stoppage time in his team’s 1-1 draw with the Columbus Crew. The incident occurred when Frei collided with Crew midfielder Amar Sejdić while attempting to claim a high free kick into the box. Medical personnel responded immediately, and Frei was taken off the pitch in an ambulance. He was later transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

The 39-year-old goalkeeper has since shared an update on social media, saying he is back home and resting. Frei expressed his gratitude to the medical team, his club, and all the fans who sent messages of support. He wrote, “I'm incredibly grateful to all the staff that looked after me and happy to be back home resting now. What resonates is all the messages, calls, and love I've received from so many of you. Thank you – truly. It means more than I can put into words.”

On the play itself, Seattle’s Jon Bell managed to clear the ball out for a corner kick after the collision. Though technically play could have continued, both Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer and Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy jointly requested that the referee end the game early. The referee obliged, and the match was called with only seconds remaining.

See also: (In UK) Singer Jessie J reveals cancer operation success

The match between Seattle Sounders and Columbus Crew ended in a 1-1 draw on Sunday night at Lumen Field. Columbus opened the scoring in the 27th minute through Diego Rossi, taking advantage of some space in the final third. However, Seattle responded before halftime with a well-timed goal from Paul Rothrock in the 43rd minute, leveling the match.

After a hard-fought and balanced second half, the game came to a premature end due to Stefan Frei's injury in the final moments. Both coaches, Brian Schmetzer of Seattle and Wilfried Nancy of Columbus, decided that the remaining few seconds were not worth continuing under the circumstances. Their decision was widely praised as a show of class and respect for player safety.

Coach Schmetzer publicly thanked Coach Nancy for urging the referee to stop the match, saying, “Everybody knew that the game should have been stopped. Good on him.” Nancy also extended his well-wishes, adding, “Football is not the most important. We stay positive, and hopefully everything’s going to be good for him.”

As of Matchday 22, both teams are in the playoff race. The Seattle Sounders currently sit fifth in the Western Conference with 30 points, while the Columbus Crew are fourth in the Eastern Conference with 38 points. Both sides remain strong contenders for home-field advantage in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.