world cup Sochaux in shock at Davies accident

Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe says the club are "in shock" at the news striker Charlie Davies is seriously injured in hospital after he was involved in a fatal car crash yesterday.

The USA international is in a serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery following the crash in the early hours of yesterday morning which left a female passenger dead. Davies' season is over and he will almost certainly miss the FIFA World Cup?, but Lacombe has urged the 23-year-old to put all thoughts of football to the back of his mind and concentrate on making a full recovery.

"What's essential is that Charlie gets better quickly," he told France Football. "We are in shock. In life you have to know how to put things in perspective. Charlie was close to death and a young woman aged 22 lost her life. His season is over but what's most important is for him to be out of danger. We're all thinking about him."

His season is over but what's most important is for him to be out of danger. We're all thinking about him. Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe

Lacombe added: "Charlie is still in intensive care. He has to remain there at least until the end of the week, then he will be confined to his bed for around a month and a half. The sporting problem is important but we'll worry about that. What's most important isn't the sporting matter but that Charlie recovers quickly and returns to us."

Davies was one of three people in the car, which was split in two by the force of the impact on the George Washington Parkway in Northern Virginia. US Park Police identified the dead woman as 22-year-old Ashley Roberta, of Phoenix, Maryland. Davies suffered a lacerated bladder and fractures to the tibia and femur bones in his right leg. He also suffered facial fractures and a left elbow fracture and is set to be sidelined for between six months to a year.

The former Hammarby striker has had a good start to his Sochaux career since joining the Ligue 1 club in the summer, and scored twice against champions Bordeaux after coming on as a second-half substitute for his second appearance of the season. Davies, who has scored four goals in 17 international appearances, started the USA's 3-2 win over Honduras on Saturday, which secured Bob Bradley's side a place at next summer's finals in South Africa.

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