Orlando Pirates’ medical department has provided an update on several first team players that have been sidelined in recent weeks. Bucs will face Venda Football Academy in the Last 16 of the Nedbank Cup at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
According to the Buccaneers’ website, a testing list of fixtures has resulted in a busy few months for the club’s medical staff, with up to five members of the playing personnel currently out of action.
Experienced midfielder Thabang Monare has been one of the notable absentees from the match day squad over the past month, with his last appearance in the starting XI coming against Mamelodi Sundowns in early February.
This has been due to a thigh muscle strain reported in the lead-up to the recent home league fixture against Maritzburg United, which also forced him to miss the subsequent Soweto Derby clashes against Kaizer Chiefs and Swallows, respectively.
The player has made some progress in recovering from the knock and is expected to return to training next week.
Monare is joined on the injury list by Goodman Mosele, who is scheduled to return to full training in the coming weeks along with Bandile Shandu. The 23-year-old midfielder is expected to start light training by the end of the current week after picking up an ankle ligament injury, while Shandu is also scheduled to return before the end of the month after treatment on a stiff hamstring.
Other recent additions to the Bucs injury list include captain Innocent Maela, who had a relatively short spell on the side-lines after he sustained a left-foot contusion against Chiefs and has since resumed training.
Similarly, his defensive partner Olisa Ndah is also back at training after picking up a knock in his cameo at FNB Stadium.
Meanwhile, there is encouraging news relating to goalkeeper Richard Ofori, who has been discharged by the medical team and is back at full training after being side-lined since November last year. – www.orlandopiratesfc.com
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