Kaizer Chiefs will be without Langelihle Phili and Thabiso Monyane for their Betway Premiership meeting with Siwelele FC, with head coach Fernando Da Cruz confirming that both players are facing extended spells on the sidelines.
Winger Phili is expected to miss about eight weeks after sustaining a serious ankle injury during training. Right-back Monyane has also been ruled out and is likely to be unavailable for at least four weeks.
“Monyane will not be available before the FIFA window because he’s injured for four weeks; Phili is the same thing; he’s injured for eight weeks,” Da Cruz said at the Chiefs training grounds.
Phili’s injury is a significant setback for the Glamour Boys, who had brought the youngster into the squad to add strength in attack. His absence will now leave Chiefs without one of their recent additions for a considerable period.
Monyane’s injury further reduces Da Cruz’s defensive options ahead of the league fixture. The right-back’s recovery timeline means he is also expected to miss matches before the next FIFA window.
There is some relief for Chiefs, however, with Paseka Mako, Bradley Cross, Kabelo Nkgwesa and Reeve Frosler all returning to training. Their availability is particularly important because of the defensive shortage currently affecting the squad.
The returning players are not yet ready to complete a full match, though, and Da Cruz has stressed that they remain short of full fitness.
“But we have players who came back: Mako, Cross, Kabelo and Reeve Frosler. They are not 100% physically,” Da Cruz explained.
That leaves the French coach with a difficult selection decision before the Betway Premiership encounter. While the return of four defenders gives him more options, their lack of match sharpness means he must assess carefully how much each player can contribute.
Chiefs will therefore approach the meeting with Siwelele FC managing two competing concerns: the need to cope with the long-term injuries to Phili and Monyane, and the requirement to avoid overburdening players who have only recently resumed training.
The latest update confirms a growing injury crisis at Kaizer Chiefs, but the return of Mako, Cross, Kabelo Nkgwesa and Frosler offers Da Cruz some defensive cover as he prepares his team for the upcoming Betway Premiership clash.
