OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Tuesday 11.00am.
PHIL Masinga, Bafana Bafana’s leading all-time goal-scorer, could be out for as long as six months with a knee injury.
Masinga, who has netted the ball 16 times for South Africa, will miss next month’s African Cup of Nations in Ghana and Nigeria.
Masinga sustained a ligament injury during practise for his Italian Series A club Bari and underwent surgery last Thursday.
While it was intiially thought it would sideline the 30-year-old striker for three months was told by his orhopaedic surgeon, who did the operation, he could face six months off the field.
“The good news is that the operation was a success from a technical point of view,” Masinga told The Citizen from Italy.
He says he’s been assured that players who follow the recovery process diligently are eventually able to return to first-class soccer.
“I’ll listen to the doctors and follow their programme to the best of my ability.”
But, he says: “At my age, it’s more difficult. One minute you’re looking forward to another five years of professional soccer, the next you’re wondering if you are ever going to play again.
Masinga will return to South Africa this week to spend the holidays with his family, before returning to Italy in two weeks to continue his recuperation programme.