Kaizer Chiefs face further injury concerns before Siwelele clash

Kaizer Chiefs will be without Thabiso Monyane and Langelihle Phili for several weeks as they prepare to host Siwelele on Sunday, with the club’s defensive options continuing to be tested.

The match will be Kaizer Chiefs’ fifth league game since Fernando da Cruz took charge. AmaKhosi need a positive result to stay within touching distance of their biggest rivals, Orlando Pirates.

Chiefs have taken only two points from their last two league matches, collecting just two of a possible six. Injuries have contributed to that recent run and remain a concern ahead of the home fixture against Siwelele.

Monyane is set to miss the remainder of the period before the next FIFA window after sustaining an injury that is expected to keep him out for four weeks. Phili faces a longer spell on the sidelines and is expected to be unavailable for eight weeks.

“ Monyane will not be available before the FIFA window because he is injured for four weeks,” confirms Da Cruz.

“Phili is the same status as he is eight weeks out.

” But we have players that have come back like Mako, Cross, Kabelo, and Reeve, but they are not at 100% physically, so they will come back step by step.

“With Flavio, it will normally be one or two weeks (more),” says Da Cruz.

The situation is particularly difficult at left-back, where Chiefs have seen all three of their recognised options affected by injury. Paseka Mako, Bradley Cross and Nkanyiso Shinga have yet to feature this season.

Mako and Cross are now among those returning, alongside Kabelo Nkgwesa and Reeve Frosler, but Da Cruz says they are not yet physically ready to resume full involvement. Their returns will therefore be managed gradually rather than rushed back into action.

The club have also had injury concerns involving Frosler, Monyane, Flavio Silva, Phili and Nkgwesa. Da Cruz’s latest update suggests that while some players are moving closer to a return, Chiefs will still have to manage a number of limitations in the squad.

Flavio is expected to need another one or two weeks before he is ready, according to the Chiefs manager. That leaves the club balancing the urgency of Sunday’s league fixture with the need to avoid further setbacks among players who are recovering.

With Monyane and Phili unavailable and several others not yet at full physical capacity, Chiefs face a difficult selection challenge against Siwelele. The result will be important for a side trying to remain close to Orlando Pirates, while Da Cruz continues to work with a squad affected by a series of injuries since the start of the season.