MEXICO CITY – An unexpected on-field incident interrupted Uzbekistan’s 2024 FIFA World Cup opening fixture against Colombia on Wednesday night, when starting defender Abdukodir Khusanov crashed into a sideline camera operator during the first half of play.
Khusanov, who plies his club trade at English Premier League powerhouse Manchester City, launched into a challenge for a loose ball bouncing along the touchline against Colombian winger Luis Díaz. The speed and momentum of the challenge carried the 20-year-old defender past the boundary of the pitch and straight into the crew member tasked with capturing broadcast footage of the match.
Immediately after the collision, medical personnel from FIFA stepped onto the pitch to assess and treat the injured camera operator, whose current condition has not been released in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Play was temporarily halted to allow for the medical response, before the match resumed between the two World Cup debut contenders.
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