Aston Villa defender Matty Cash’s evening ended prematurely as injury forced him off during Poland’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Finland on Sunday.
Cash opened the scoring in the 27th minute, finishing from the centre of the penalty area to notch his second goal in as many qualifiers.
The right-back had struck a stunning 25-yard effort against the Netherlands last week, a goal that secured Poland a vital point. His latest contribution underlined a growing influence at international level.
Poland doubled their advantage through captain Robert Lewandowski before Jakub Kaminski added a third, effectively sealing the contest.
Finland managed a late consolation via Benjamin Kallman, but by then the result was beyond doubt.
Concerns arose, however, when Cash was seen limping down the tunnel with a doctor shortly before half-time, after taking a heavy knock to the thigh from a Finnish challenge.
Although eager to continue, the 27-year-old did not reappear for the second half after manager Jan Urban decided not to risk him.
“Matty Cash got hit in the muscle with a knee,” Urban said post-match.
“I saw he was limping; he wanted to keep playing, but I convinced him that a substitution was necessary.”
Initial assessments suggest a possible “dead leg”, but further scans will be required to determine the extent of the problem.
The incident cast a shadow over an otherwise positive night for Poland, who strengthened their position in the qualifying campaign.
