Under-21 match involving Manchester United ends prematurely due to a severe traffic collision.
Manchester United's 19-year-old Malian international, Sékou Koné, was stretchered off the pitch during a corner incident in the under-21 National League Cup match against Tamworth on August 13, 2025. The incident resulted in the game's early abandonment at 0-0 after 42 minutes played.
Koné, who joined Manchester United from Guidars FC last season for approximately €1.15 million, was involved in a head collision during the match. He was treated on the pitch for around 15 minutes before being taken away for further medical attention, including the use of an oxygen mask.
The home team, Tamworth, provided explanations for the abandonment of the game on their social media platforms, citing insufficient medical personnel as the reason. The referee blew the final whistle early to end the match.
Despite the seriousness of the injury, Manchester United announced through their social media that Koné was conscious and being taken to the hospital for precautionary medical examinations. He was reported to be stable and communicating with medical staff.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Koné had fractured his eye socket. He is scheduled for a scan to assess the full extent of the damage and discuss possible options such as wearing a protective face mask during recovery.
No specific timeline for recovery has been announced yet, but given the nature of an eye socket fracture, recovery typically involves a few weeks to several months depending on severity and treatment. Monitoring with scans and possible protective gear will guide the return-to-play timing.
Koné did not make any minutes in the winning campaign of the first trophy of the season for the Portuguese coach-led team. He traveled with the squad of Ruben Amorim to the United States for the Premier League Summer League.
The match between Manchester United's under-21s and Tamworth's senior team will be rescheduled for a later date.
Koné was one of the standouts at the under-17 World Cup, guiding Mali to the final with two assists in seven games. His potential was evident, and Manchester United will be hoping for his swift and full recovery.
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