THE injury curse at Kaizer Chiefs has unfortunately struck again.
Amakhosi head-coach Fernando da Cruz confirmed that midfielder Lebohang Maboe picked up an injury in the frustrating 0-0 Betway Premiership draw against Golden Arrows at Mbombela Stadium, Mpumalanga, on Sunday, 20 September.
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This stalemate has now stretched Chiefs’ winless streak to two matches, which dealt their early-season momentum another blow.
Maboe was forced off the pitch early in the second half, leaving the team short in the middle of the park.
We changed position for Maboe. Unfortunately, this injury arrived a little bit early in the second half, so it imbalanced the midfield.
For the experienced midfielder, this setback arrives at the worst possible time, as he was recently called up to the Bafana Bafana squad for the upcoming Fifa international fixtures.
The coach felt Amakhosi should have buried the game before the halftime whistle.
“We made a good first half. Normally, we need to score one or two goals in the first half,” he said.
Furthermore, Cruz admitted Golden Arrows grew more dangerous after the break.
In the second half, we controlled the game a little bit less, but we had again situations and could’ve lost the game in the end with the last opportunities for Golden Arrows.
Although Chiefs hit the post and created chances, they simply couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Maboe’s injury serves as the latest blow to a rapidly growing casualty list.
Earlier this week, Amakhosi confirmed that goalkeeper Brandon Petersen faces four to six weeks on the sidelines after damaging the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during training.
Petersen had importantly featured in every match since the season kicked off in August.
In addition, attacker Wandile Duba, who already boasts three goals this season, has been ruled out for two weeks after picking up a hip-and-groin injury.
Both Petersen and Duba have been key figures in Chiefs’ strong start to the campaign.
Ultimately, their absence will certainly be felt when Amakhosi return to action after Fifa’s international break to face Stellenbosch at FNB Stadium on Saturday, 17 October.
