Trinidad and Tobago's Caleb Wales came on as a first-half substitute assistant referee during the Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-final clash between the USA and Canada. Mexican assistant referee Christian Espinosa suffered a bleeding nose after being hit in the face by the football. The game was stopped for eight minutes with Wales having to come on for the remainder of the match.
"I believe everything happened for a reason because usually I’ll go back to the hotel after the first game (Jamaica and Guatemala). Seeing as it was a quarter-final game between USA and Canada, I decided to stay with my team and watch the second game," Wales told TTFA Media. "I was already comfortably seated in the stands when the unfortunate incident occurred. That’s when I was called into action again. I was the only eligible assistant referee at the venue as the other AR was from Canada. I immediately ran down the stairs back to the locker room. That was like my warm-up," he added.
Wales said it was his first time doing two games at the Gold Cup in a single day. "I don’t think this has ever happened at this level before, especially at quarter-final games where the stakes are high and there’s immense pressure," said Wales. "It took me about just under 10 minutes from the incident to getting dressed and on the field to relieve the fourth official of the flag and carry out a second shift of duty. It was mentally taxing as the game went to extra time and penalties. Thoughts of fatigue were creeping in, but I maintained concentration and held on to finish the job," he added. Wales has been called up to officiate in Sunday's final between Panama and Mexico. "I think my performance in both games were good enough as I was rewarded with being appointed to the final in Los Angeles as a reserve assistant referee. I’m even more happy and relieved that the injured assistant referee was able to be treated at a hospital and returned home safely," said Wales, who is one of Trinidad and Tobago's top assistant referees and officiated at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Source: Loop