Amakhosi Finally Get Good News on the Injury Front, But …..
With Amakhosi still searching for consistency this season, there’s genuinely good news on the injury front — both Khanyisa Mayo and Langelihle Phili are closing in on comebacks that could give Da Cruz’s attack a real boost.
Mayo’s first season still hasn’t started
It’s been a frustrating year for Mayo before it even got going — a hernia operation ruled him out of the start of the campaign entirely, and he’s yet to make a single appearance since his move from CR Belouizdad was made permanent back in July. The good news: he’s recently returned to full training with the first team at Naturena, and there are real signs he could be back in the matchday squad before the month is out.
Phili’s return has a silver lining attached
Phili’s situation tells a different story — a player in good form, cut down just as he was making an impact. He scored in Chiefs’ 1-1 draw with Sundowns on 15 August before being forced off, with Da Cruz confirming an expected eight-week recovery. As it happens, the recent FIFA international break may actually have worked in his favour, giving him extra time to build back up to full training before competitive football resumes — which puts a mid-to-late October return realistically in play.
A fresh concern emerges
Just as two injury worries ease, another has popped up. Promising 20-year-old Luke Baartman was forced off with a thigh injury while on international duty for South Africa’s U23s against Algeria. The extent of the problem isn’t yet clear, but it’s enough to put his involvement in next week’s clash with Stellenbosch firmly in doubt.
