Red shirts, Canadian and Chilean, weren’t enough to hide the blood coming from Laryea’s head on Saturday.

While his Toronto FC were down in Nashville for a crucial MLS clash on Saturday night, Reds fullback Richie Laryea was at the centre of Canada and Chile’s not-so-friendly friendly at BMO Field, requiring stitches on the sidelines after taking the back of Lucas Cepeda’s right boot to the head.

Cepeda caught Laryea with his right boot as the two jostled for the ball down Canada’s left flank in the 35th minute, earning himself a straight red from referee Marco Ortiz, as he fished his heel towards Laryea’s head, missing a potentially much more serious eye injury by inches.

Related Read: WATCH: Richie Laryea takes nasty backheel kick to the face: Red card for Chile’s Lucas Cepeda gives Canada advantage

The night had started much brighter for Canada and Laryea, as they kicked off their Homecoming Tour and first match together since the World Cup, getting out to an early 1-0 lead.

Jonathan David got a raucous Toronto crowd off their feet in the 12th minute, as he lashed his fourth goal in recent weeks past Stephen Eustáquio’s Swansea teammate Lawrence Vigoroux. Involved in the play were former Reds winger Jacob Shaffelburg and Brampton’s Cyle Larin, as the latter’s first-time shot was palmed into David’s path by the Chilean goalkeeper.

In a touching moment, David also held up Derek Cornelius’ shirt after the goal. Cornelius was ruled out after suffering a hip injury in Canada training in the lead up to Saturday’s match.

At the other end of the pitch, Pickering, Ont. goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was called into his first stop six minutes later, as Crystal Palace loanee Darío Osorio touched a ball around Ralph Priso before taking a low stab which the Canadian keeper had to tip beyond the end line.

Related Read: Derek Cornelius’ hip injury ‘not nearly as severe’ as feared, Canada defender in good spirits: Marsch

Reds fullback Richie Laryea started for Jesse Marsch’s side at left-back, while TFCII regular and rising star Richard Chukwu was named to the bench. For the visitors, Toronto FC defender Benjamin Kuscevic pulled out of La Roja’s squad due to a muscle injury.

While Laryea has 80 Canada caps and Kuscevic has 16 for Chile, Chukwu could be set for a major milestone in his young career, if he appears in his first senior international match. He only graduated to the TFC first team this summer after standing out with Toronto FC II and the Canadian youth national teams, but Jesse Marsch has high hopes for the youngster, who can play left-back or as a left-sided centre-back.

TFC boss Robin Fraser is not pleased about missing all of them for such a big game in the Reds’ playoff push, but inconvenient international windows are as quintessentially MLS as General Allocation Money or the SuperDraft.

At the other end of the spectrum, Canada will say farewell to Junior Hoilett, who will hang up his international boots after being honoured at BMO Field for being a Canadian soccer trailblazer over the past two decades. Also a Brampton native, the veteran midfielder will have plenty of loved ones in the stands in addition to another good crowd in Toronto.

Related Read: Young Toronto FC defender Richard Chukwu ‘needs to develop now’: Canada boss Jesse Marsch

Former TFC man Ralph Priso will start in the Canadian backline alongside Real Salt Lake centre-back Luc De Fougerolles — although the latter has yet to make his debut despite his new MLS club confirming his loan signing nearly a month ago, due to visa issues.

Looking to the bench, Chukwu and ex-TFC Academy prospect Jovan Ivanišević are expected to debut in front of their home crowd before friendlies in Montreal and St. Paul, Minn., against Peru and the United States next week.

There will be no Alexis Sanchez or Thomas Gillier from CF Montreal for Chile. TFC fans will have to wait a couple more weeks to see Sanchez, when Montreal are in town for Oct. 10’s 401 Derby — the first game back from the international break.

More to come.