The rising Paraguayan international went down with a non-contact injury in the 38th minute after pressing NSC ‘keeper Elliot Panicco near the goal line. The effort earned the Herons a corner kick that ultimately led to Sergio Busquets‘ goal, heading in a Lionel Messi service to give Miami their first lead of the night.

“They took him to the hospital to get an X-ray. It was an ankle sprain,” head coach Gerardo Martino said post-match of the 21-year-old, who has 2g/5a on the season and was coming off a Team of the Matchday presented by Audi-worthy performance in Matchday 9.

Gómez could become the club’s latest high-profile injury, following fellow U22 Initiative signings Federico Redondo and Facundo Farías – the latter out for the season.

Homegrown Benjamin Cremaschi made his season debut in Matchday 9 following January hernia surgery, while Messi – who opened and closed the scoring for Miami with a brace – is also just weeks removed from a hamstring injury.

Now Gómez’s short-term status is up in the air, and possibly his availability for Paraguay at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

“What we saw was clearly an ankle sprain. What we need to find out is whether it was a regular sprain or whether there’s anything serious with the bone, and that’s what [we’re] trying to rule out now,” Martino added. “He was in a lot of pain, the ankle was swollen. But we can’t make any suppositions.”