When did the Ivory Coast international fracture his hand? Watching the match again, we see that the shock took place during Liège‘s second goal, a few seconds before half-time. In his aerial exit, the goalkeeper at the end of the race hits Sutalo with his left hand while the ball is already in his net. We then see him grimace but quickly get up and return to the locker room at break time in the company of the doctor.
At half-time, the question of his replacement arose but the former Dunkirk player did not want to hear about it. A strapping was therefore placed on him. And with the broken hand, Koné made several saves including a double save on Ayensa’s missed penalty, whose foot this time struck both hands of the goalkeeper during his recovery, once again causing a grin of pain from the new player. number 1 of Sporting.
But how was he able to play 45 minutes with this fracture? “For a high-level athlete, it’s doable. It depends on the type of fracture.explains Pierre-Henri Nuttin, sports doctor who officiated at Excel for many years and who now holds this position at the Belgian Union in the U17 national team. I don’t know the file so it’s complicated to talk about it but it may be a scaphoid fracture or a tear fracture of a metacarpal. In this case, it is possible to continue playing. Afterwards, adrenaline can make you forget the pain in the moment. I remember that in Mouscron, one of our players played at the end of the half against Standard with a fracture of the fifth metatarsal.”
gull For a high-level athlete, it is possible to continue playing with a fracture but it depends on which one.
Still, the nature of the fracture has not been communicated. “Its duration of unavailability is still unknown”continues number 22. It should vary between four and six weeks. Which is bad because the goalkeeper was starting to show all his qualities after a difficult start, notably in Mechelen, despite his 4 clean sheets which do not erase the 11 goals conceded in 12 matches. At Sclessin, he was the man of the match despite his team’s defeat. With six saves including three reflexes, Koffi’s successor saved his partners a hefty bill.
In addition to his work in the field, he has other strengths. Despite his young age, Koné is charismatic. He does not hesitate to guide his defense and raise his voice, no matter if it is on Andreou, Sporting’s oldest player, when the Cypriot sticks him on the recovery phases. “I told Stelios to move aside so that we can save time instead of coming to ask for the ball at my feet. These are things that happen”he smiles.
We also saw him calm his partners when they rushed towards Erik Lambrechts to protest the penalty naively conceded by Yacine Titraoui. “I told them to calm down so we don’t take boxes stupidly.” A welcome maturity at only 22 years old which can be explained by his unique career path and his international status. “My time in selection is important. It makes me grow, I gain confidence and, above all, I feel good”confides the one who occupies the place of understudy of Yahia Fofana.
Unfortunately, his injury will prevent him from joining the Elephants during the next international break in mid-November, although he had been called up each time since the rally following the last Can, won by his country last February, where he did not not part of the selection. Meanwhile in the championship, Théo Defourny will act as interim manager even if the qualities of Martin Delavallée please internally even though he was close to joining Seraing on loan during the summer transfer window.
The choices of Hennuyère management last summer on the goalkeeper position, with the recruitment of a promising young man combined with the arrival of an experienced understudy, are paying off. With his 254 matches in Belgium to his credit divided between D1A and D1B, Defourny provides welcome guarantees of security at a time when the Zebras are approaching a real turning point in their season against Louvain.
