Wayne Rooney scored his first goal for D.C. United and later broke his nose as he captained his new club to a 2-1 home win over Colorado Rapids.
Ex-Manchester United and Everton forward Rooney gave his side the lead when he beat former United teammate Tim Howard with a low shot in the 33rd minute.
The 32-year-old was twice denied by Howard after Kellyn Acosta had levelled for the Rapids, but Niki Jackson's own goal in the 90th minute proved decisive.
Rooney was left bloodied as he came back to defend a corner in stoppage time, with the Washington Post reporting that he had suffered a broken nose and a gash over his left eye that needed five stitches after a collision with Axel Sjoberg.
The diagnosis was confirmed in a tweet from D.C.'s official account on Sunday.
Broken nose, five stitches, first career MLS goal, three points. ✔️
— D.C. United (@dcunited) July 29, 2018
No Pain No Gain // #NoWayneNoGain pic.twitter.com/HvO3Np4FK1
"I don't think it's the first time he has bled. He is a pretty tough guy," coach Ben Olsen said after the match. "It shows you what this means to him right now. He's in the box, putting his face on the line, understanding that's a big moment."
The Post reported that Rooney's condition would be assessed to determine whether he will be able to play at Montreal next weekend.