MAZOLA MOLEFE
BENSON Mhlongo’s football year is over, and the knee injury that ended it could also rule him out for the rest of the season.
In addition the chances of the Orlando Pirates captain playing in the World Cup are in danger.
Mhlongo tore a cruciate ligament last week, and scans have revealed that the midfielder’s injury is worse than at first believed. He was hurt in Pirates’ 2-1 defeat by Amazulu on Wednesday.
The Buccaneers management at first dismissed the seriousness of the injury. Yesterday, however, the club said he could miss the rest of the season.
His injury is similar to the one suffered by Chelsea’s Michael Essien last year.
Essien was sidelined for seven months after tearing a knee ligament, but managed an influential return to action.
Pirates’ doctor Bobby Ramasiya said Mhlongo would have surgery to repair the injury. He will be examined this week to determine the extent of the damage.
The skipper’s absence is giving coach Ruud Krol nightmares.
“We missed Benson a lot in the derby,” said Krol. “I am a worried man, not because I have lost a captain, but because I have lost a good player.
“We have to wait for the swelling to go down to determine how long he could be out.”
For now, Krol must rely on Mlungisi Mdluli, as he did against Kaizer Chiefs at the weekend.
Mdluli is also likely to take to the field tomorrow when Pirates face Maritzburg United at Orlando stadium.
Mhlongo was discharged from hospital and is recovering at home. He was a vital part of the Bafana team in the Confederations Cup in June, and wearing the national team jersey during the soccer showpiece could now be a distant dream.
The Orlando stadium’s pitch has been under pressure from at least two matches a week but “the Pirates-Maritzburg match will go ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, and the stadium could close down during the Fifa week [when there are no club matches] to be fixed,” said the PSL media officer, Altaaf Kazi.
