FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza will miss six to eight weeks due to an off-field injury that the club said resulted in a broken jaw. According to Athletics, the broken jaw happened as a result of an altercation outside a bar, during which he was punched by boxer Quashawn Toler. The club has not publicly commented on the incident as Boupendza is said to be the victim in the situation currently being investigated by police. The team released the following statement.
“FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza will undergo surgery Thursday on a broken jaw suffered during an off-field injury and is expected to be out for an estimated six to eight weeks.
“The club hopes for his quick and full recovery and we look forward to having him back on the field as soon as he is available.”
This season, the Gabonese footballer has scored three goals in 13 games in all competitions as the club struggled to replace Brandon Vazquez following his departure to Monterrey in Liga MX. The forward has also been suspended by the club for disciplinary reasons and sent home several times by the Gabon national team. For the Designated Player, this is just the latest setback since joining FC Cincinnati from Saudi club Al-Shabab last summer.
The club currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points. Even with the lack of production from their forwards, Luciano Acosta has been able to do enough to keep the offense going. They will need more from Boupendza to dethrone teams like Inter Miami as the season progresses.
