Khenyeza back in training

MABHUTI Khenyeza could be available for SuperSport United in Saturday's Tshwane derby against Mamelodi Sundowns despite a possible disciplinary hearing hanging over his head.

Coach Gavin Hunt said Khenyeza, an enfant terrible, had gone AWOL ahead of the club's Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs in Polokwane at the weekend.

SuperSport were beaten 2-1 by Amakhosi, with Hunt telling television interviewers after the match: "I don't know where he (Khenyeza) is. I haven't seen him since last week."

Yesterday, SuperSport spokesman David Skosana said the striker was back at training and could be considered by Hunt for the Telkom Knockout semifinal against rivals Sundowns at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.

"The player says he had flu and had not gone missing. It will be up to the technical team to determine what sort of disciplinary actions are taken, but they are still to discuss what really happened," said Skosana.

"But Khenyeza is training with the team."

Hunt did not want to say too much about possible actions the club will take against the player, who played in SuperSport's two cup finals in four months.

Khenyeza is no stranger to disappearing acts. While at Ajax CT, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns, the forward failed to show up at training sessions for several weeks before eventually resurfacing.

Internal disciplinary actions were taken against the player, but it was nothing too harsh.

He blew his chances of being part of Bafana's 2010 World Cup squad when he was dropped by then coach Carlos Alberto Parreira for failing to report for the national team camp in time.

Should Matsatsantsa beat Sundowns, which is likely given their neighbours' poor form in the league recently, SuperSport will play in their third cup final in seven months.

Hunt and his players clinched last season's Nedbank Cup in May, beating Sundowns 2-0 at Orlando Stadium. But they finished as runners-up against Moroka Swallows in the MTN8 in September, going down 2-1 at the same venue.