Mongala's injury scare for Zebras

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Thursday August 23, 2012 00:00

 

The Zebras have been training in Potchefstroom since Monday and revelations are that new Mochudi Centre Chiefs acquisition, Mongala aggravated his hamstring injury on Monday during training. National team coach, Stanley Tshosane said they had given the former Orlando Pirates winger some rest on Tuesday.'We knew he was struggling with the injury but thought he had recovered, but he worsened it during training on Monday.'He did not train on Tuesday, but we are closely monitoring his progress hoping he will recover in good time,' Tshosane told Mmegi Sport.Tshosane had hoped to get at least two friendly matches with Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs in the neighbouring country.

The Botswana Football Association (BFA) had been courting Ofentse Nato's Bidvest Wits and Moroka Swallows.However, the two PSL teams could not commit themselves as they are engaged in midweek ABSA Premiership fixtures.'We had hoped to play one or two friendly matches with Premiership clubs here, but we will not be able because they have midweek fixtures. But we will play an academy team here in Potchefstroom. The team plays in the Vodacom League,' Tshosane said.   Tshosane said clubless Zebras' chief marksman Jerome Ramatlhakwana was making steady progress.Ramatlhakwana had been omitted from the squad for their previous Gaborone camp with the coaches citing a communication breakdown. It later emerged that the player was in South Africa training with Vasco Da Gama. 

The team returns from Potchefstroom tomorrow  to prepare for Sunday's international friendly match against Uganda.The team is without injured goalkeeper, Noah Maposa and sullen Mochudi Centre Chiefs defender Tshepo Motlhabankwe.They leave for Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday to acclimatise before flying to Mali for the first leg of the 2013 AFCON qualifier. The return leg will be played in Gaborone in October.Tshosane and his men know the Mali tie is a must-win with the winner of the two-legged qualifier set to progress to the finals to be played in South Africa next January.Meanwhile, Ramatlhakwana's agent, Nicky Paiva has dismissed reports that the troubled forward has signed with former Premiership side Vasco Da Gama. Paiva, however, admits that the player had gone for a 'trial' at the club recently.