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Ndlovu still in some pain

PROMISING START: Bafana striker Dino Ndlovu. PHOTO: Gallo Images
PROMISING START: Bafana striker Dino Ndlovu. PHOTO: Gallo Images

STRIKER Dino Ndlovu faces another two weeks on the sidelines as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained while on national team duty in Brazil.

Ndlovu was taken off 33 minutes into his Bafana Bafana debut after falling heavily on his right shoulder and is set to miss the next two League games for his Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

He sat on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Hapoel Be'er Sheva on Sunday, but said it was merely to make up the numbers.

"I was on the bench on Sunday, but I was never going to play," Ndlovu told Sowetan, before admitting he was still in some pain.

It was initially thought that he might have to undergo surgery due to possible ligament damage, but that has since been deemed unnecessary. It would have added weeks to his recovery time.

He has targeted a return to the Haifa starting line-up for the October 6 home League clash with Hapoel Ramat Gan, which would come just six days before Bafana are to play away in Poland.

Whether national team coach Gordon Igesund will take Ndlovu on that trip remains to be seen, but it is clear that the Bafana boss likes what he sees in the 22-year-old after making him his number one striker against Brazil.

"It was a big shame for me to get injured when I did because I really wanted to show that I belonged in the national team. Hopefully I will get more chances in the future, but for now my focus is to get fit and start scoring for my club again," Ndlovu said.

He has begun life at Haifa well with three goals in his first two starts after moving from Bnei Yehuda in August.

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