Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu has sent a heartfelt message to injured Ghana midfielder Francis Abu, wishing him a full and speedy recovery after the serious setback he suffered during Friday’s Kirin Challenge Cup match.
Speaking after the game, Moriyasu said, “I hope that Francis will be able to play football again as soon as possible.” The injury occurred early in the second half following a challenge from Tanaka Ao, who later approached the Ghana bench to apologise.
Moriyasu stressed that the incident was accidental, noting that while the foul was correctly called, there was no malicious intent. “In the end, it was a foul, but it was not something we did intentionally to injure him. In fact, I think we deserved to be called for the foul. Aoi is not at fault,” he said.
The injury cast a shadow over Japan’s 2-0 win in Nagoya, as both teams expressed concern for the young midfielder.
The Ghana Football Association has since confirmed that Abu is stable and undergoing further medical assessment. His club, Toulouse FC, has announced that he will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
