While all seems well in Nyasa Big Bullets camp, behind the scene the People’s Team is struggling to cope with piling injuries, the latest being Righteous Banda who is expected to miss the rest of the season.
The TNM Super League champions started their title defence on Saturday against Blue Eagles without seven key players, who are nursing injuries.
Apart from Banda, the others are captain John Lanjesi, vice-captain Chimango Kayira, Dalitso Sailesi, Chiukepo Msowoya, Patrick Phiri and Sankhani Mkandawire.
Out of these, only Chiukepo is set to be available for selection this weekend when the People’s Team travels to Karonga to face Karonga United and Chitipa United on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Banda will miss the rest of season after undergoing a knee surgery at Beit Cure International Hospital in Blantyre on Tuesday.
The surgery followed a recurring Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury the 24-year-old suffered during the People’s Team pre-season camp in Mangochi last month.
The club’s team doctor Felix Mwalule confirmed the development through Bullets website www.nyasabigbullets.com that the left winger is now focusing on rehabilitation of his knee, which also kept him out for a the better part of the 2019 season.
“He has been struggling with the knee since last season and was diagnosed with a complete tear following an MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] scan last month,” he said.
“The good thing is that the surgery was successful and we expect that once he completes his recuperation, his recurring knee problem will be a thing of the past.”
Banda yesterday said he is hopeful that his recuperation will not take long and that the knee will not give him problems again.
“It is a relief that at least after I recuperate, the knee will not give me too much problems again,” he said.
Bullets suffered two injury setbacks during their Mangochi camp as Kayira also experienced a meniscus tear and a sprain on his right knee.
He is expected to be unavailable for weeks as he is undergoing physiotherapy.
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