Referee helped off pitch by doctors and grimaces in pain after suffering injury in MLS competition

AN American referee was forced off the pitch injured during a Leagues Cup match on Thursday night.

Official Lukasz Szpala hopped his way off the playing surface and was replaced by the fourth official after suffering an injury during New York Red Bulls’ victory over Mexican side Chivas Guadalajara.

Szpala fell to the ground after just seven minutes having seemingly slipped over.

But after medical treatment and a brief delay in the match the referee was deemed unable to continue due to an ankle injury.

Fourth official Guido Gonzales Jr. was on hand to step in and take over instead.

Szpala appeared to be in serious discomfort as he grimaced and covered his face while on the floor.

He was also unable to walk off the pitch and needed to be supported by medical staff while hopping off the playing surface.

The game itself was full of drama as the Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS clubs and Liga MX clubs, drummed up even more entertainment.

New York Red Bulls managed to snatch an unlikely win from Chivas at the death when substitute Emil Forsberg scored a spectacular free-kick in the SEVENTH minute of injury time.

The former RB Leipzig man drilled his effort low and hard into the bottom corner, giving Chivas stopper Raul Rangel no chance of keeping it out.

The unusual competition format means that even if Forsberg hadn’t hit home that late winner, there still wouldn’t have been a draw.

Leagues Cup rules dictate that any match that ends in a draw during the group stage will result in both teams getting one point, before a penalty shootout decides an eventual winner who then gets a second point.