The Chiefs will head into a crucial clash against TS Galaxy on Sunday, but the team will once again be without several stars, as has regularly been the case in recent times.
Just last weekend, Reeve Frosler and Dillan Solomons were the latest to be added to the injury list, while Khama Billiat and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo have undergone surgery.
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Chiefs are facing an unprecedented injury crisis, but Zwane has said there is at least some good news.
“We welcome back Tower (Erick Mathoho), who was also battling with injury. We welcome back (Phathutshedzo) Nange, who is not 100 per cent fit, but we decided to rope him into the team because of his experience and because he has been training fully this past week. We are monitoring Tower and pushing for him to be fully fit and we will try and play him if the opportunity arises.”
Speaking ahead of the game in Nelspruit, coach Arthur Zwane detailed the injury toll.
“We lost two of our right-backs in the same game. Reeve (Frosler) has gone for an operation so he’s going to be out for at least six weeks. Khama (Billiat) has also gone for surgery, as has Nkosingiphile Ngcobo. Cole (Alexander) is still not ready to come back. He started jogging this week.
“We have never had such a situation in the team and it is quite disturbing,” he added, “but it’s part of the game and we’re not going to dwell on it and complain. We still have playing personnel that can go out and execute the plan.”
Club physiotherapist, David Milner added some further detail regarding the nature of the injuries and the prognoses for the return to action of the players mentioned by Zwane, explaining, “Currently, our injury list consists of Khama Billiat, who had surgery to repair a torn groin muscle. He’ll be out for the rest of the season. Nkosingiphile Ngcobo tore a thigh muscle and needed quite extensive surgery on it. He’ll be out for about three to four months.
“Reeve Frosler had a fracture to his jaw which then had to get wired together. He’ll be out for between six and eight weeks. Dillan Solomons dislocated his left shoulder. It looks like he’ll be able to be treated conservatively and we expect him to be back in four to six weeks.”
On a more positive note Milner suggests that one key player is not far from full recovery.
“Cole Alexander has come out of the moon boot. He has started running again and we are hoping to get him back into training soon and then we’ll progress from there,” he said.
Chiefs could start their new signing
With all these injury woes in mind, extra expectation is sure to follow Chiefs’ new signing from the DRC, Christian Saile Basomboli, who has said he is looking forward to Amakhosi’s next assignment, against TS Galaxy on Sunday.
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Basomboli, who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo, joined the club during the mid-season transfer window and was only cleared to play the day before Amakhosi faced Royal AM.
“I was very happy when I found out my documents were ready because I wanted to play for Kaizer Chiefs as soon as possible, “ he tells www.kaizerchiefs.com. “I was very pleased to be involved in the match day squad.
“I got a good reception from the Chiefs fans. As a new player it made me feel good to hear them welcome me,” he added. “I like jersey number 21, it’s a good number. When the coach offered it to me, I said, ‘That’s good for me’.”
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Basomboli has already made a measurable impact on the fortunes of Kaizer Chiefs. His electric pace to set up Ashley Du Preez’s tap-in was on display for all to see, but the fleet-footed attacker’s focus is now on the next game.
“You finish one game and then focus on giving 100% against Galaxy in the next one,” he said. “They (fans) must keep supporting and pushing us on. We’ll do the best we can to make them happy,” he concluded.
