Garcia injured as AEK Athens lose 1-0 in C/League playoff

Trinidad and Tobago forward Levi Garcia was substituted after sustaining an injury during AEK Athens' 1-0 loss to Royal Antwerp in their Uefa Champions League first leg playoff in Belgium on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old Garcia started the game sharply and even had a couple of early chances, but his headed efforts did little to trouble Jean Butez in the Antwerp goal. The hosts took the lead in the 16th minute through a slick finish by Dutch attacker Vincent Janssen.

Things went awry for the TT international and AEK just past the half-hour mark, as Garcia felt clear discomfort in his leg following a tussle with an Antwerp defender and quickly called for the AEK medical staff. Garcia was then substituted for Ezequiel Ponce in the 36th minute.

Antwerp went down to ten men in the second half after a straight red to defender Jelle Bataille.

However, AEK failed to capitalise despite rattling off a whopping 23 shots. The Greek champs will host Antwerp in the pivotal return leg on August 30, and they will be sweating the fitness of Garcia who scored 18 goals in all competitions last season.

With Trinidad and Tobago's 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League opener vs Curacao just over two weeks away, local football fans will also be hoping for favourable news on the bustling Garcia.