NGEZI Platinum Stars’ Simba Nhivi is expected to be out of action for between four and six weeks after injuring his hand during training on Monday.
BY HENRY MHARA
The striker joined the well-resourced side on the last day of the mid-season transfer last week and sustained the injury on the first day of training with his new club.
Club coach Tonderai Ndiraya could not give the true nature of the injury, but said he had been informed by the team’s medical department that the striker might need at least a month before he could return to full training.
“I’m told four to six weeks,” Ndiraya said when asked how long Nhivi would be side-lined.
“He landed badly during training. I’m not sure of the actual nature of the injury, but I think it’s a fracture,” he added.
Stars lured Nhivi to Mhondoro Ngezi as a direct replacement for Terrence Dzvukamanja, who left for South African side Bidvest Wits, where he enjoyed a great start on Tuesday night.
“We had brought him to strengthen our attack after the departure of Terrence, but since he has been injured, it’s business as usual. It’s sad to lose him because we were hoping to have him in our team, but we will have to work with the available resources,” Ndiraya said.
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Dzvukamanja was Ngezi’s main source of goals, having scored eight of their 32 goals so far this season.
Nhivi, on the other hand, had scored five goals for Caps before his sensational switch to the well-resourced platinum miners. Second-placed Ngezi host relegation-threatened Nichrut on Saturday, looking to maintain pressure on log leaders FC Platinum.
The other matches that Nhivi is likely to miss involve Shabanie Mine, Mutare City, Chicken Inn and Highlanders.
The top two teams are currently separated by two points and none of them can afford a slip-up at this stage.
However, Ndiraya will have a thin squad to choose from. Apart from Nhivi, he also cannot play Frank Mukarati and Keith Murera who are serving suspensions.
Ngezi are desperate to win against Nichrut to relaunch their bid to seize control of the title race.
With FC Platinum having already secured the ticket to the next Caf Champions League that kicks off towards the end of the year, the top-flight league’s main prize has become worthier for Ngezi, who also have an ambition of making an impression in the African safari.
The winner of the race will also get a ticket to the 2019-20 Caf Champions League and Ngezi have gone out in full force to make sure they get it right this time around, after coming agonisingly close last term.
