Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka was involved in a very serious moment during Japan’s game against Ghana, as a challenge ended with Ghana player Abu Francis picking up what looked like a terrible lower-leg injury.
The incident has now become a big talking point, and many Leeds fans are worried again about Leeds United’s injuries this season.
The match took place at the Toyota Stadium, where Japan beat Ghana 2-0.
Tanaka started the match for Japan, even though he has had a frustrating start to life with Ao Tanaka Leeds, mostly coming off the bench in the Premier League after his own early injury problems.
The Horrific Moment Involving Abu Francis
Tanaka was playing well and looked sharp in midfield. He even earned a strong rating for his first 68 minutes, but everything changed when the shocking incident happened.
Tanaka had the ball near the edge of the Ghana box and was lining up for a shot.
At the same time, Abu Francis tried to steal the ball from behind. Tanaka swung his leg to shoot and accidentally smashed straight into Abu’s lower leg with full power.
Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images
The contact was awful to see. Abu instantly went down in serious pain, and the reaction from the players showed how bad it was.
Medical staff rushed onto the pitch, and there was a long delay as Abu received treatment. Many fans in the stadium went silent because of how scary the injury looked.
Reports suggest Abu may have suffered a broken leg, but official confirmation is still to come. If true, it would be a long recovery time, and it could even affect his chances of playing at the 2026 World Cup.
Abu plays for Toulouse in France, where he is the teammate of former Leeds defender Charlie Cresswell.
Tanaka’s Reaction and Apology
Even though it was a complete accident and not Tanaka’s fault, the Leeds United midfielder was clearly very emotional after the incident.
When he was substituted around 10 minutes later, he went straight to Ghana manager Otto Addo to apologise.
This gesture was praised by many supporters online, calling it a “class act” from the Japanese midfielder.
Tanaka did not receive any card or punishment because the officials and both teams could see it was purely accidental.
However, it is still the kind of moment that can affect a player mentally, especially one who has already been fighting for confidence after missing early matches this season.
What This Means for Leeds United
This incident adds more attention to Leeds United’s injury news, especially because the club already has a number of players dealing with injuries this season.
With big Leeds United fixtures 2025 coming up next year, manager Daniel Farke will hope Tanaka returns from international duty both physically and mentally ready.
Tanaka has shown good signs in small spells, but Leeds need him at his best as they continue their fight for points in the Premier League.
His control in midfield, calm passing, and strong work rate could become important later in the season.
But now, the focus will be on ensuring he is doing well after witnessing such a horrible incident.
Sometimes accidents like this can stay in a player’s mind, especially when the injury looks as serious as the one suffered by Abu Francis.
The match itself was simple, Japan won 2-0, but the night will be remembered for the injury incident between Ao Tanaka and Abu Francis.
It was accidental, shocking, and a sad moment for fans of both teams.
Leeds United supporters will now be hoping Tanaka returns safe, focused, and ready to help the squad, especially with the busy schedule ahead and the many injury problems already around the team.
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