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He resumed training at his Silver Stars based in South Africa on according to South African based Kick off magazine on Monday.
19.7.2007
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Latest on Sports (19-07-07)
SOUTH African based and Warriors inspirational player, Joel Luphahla, has miraculously recovered from a career threatening injury.
He started light training as he seeks to come back into the game after he was almost written off in April. The Warriors striker collided with a Jomo Cosmos player and broke his leg just below the knee and many had ruled out that he would ever play.
Hardly a fortnight after the bone had been put together and metal pieces inserted in his leg, the wound had healed. At the end of three months, he was able to walk on his own and do little running and on Friday, he met a South African specialist in Johannesburg who gave him the thumbs up to resume training.
“I started training with the club yesterday. It is going to be a long journey to full fitness levels. I will try my best. I am back at work. I have healed completely and as soon as the pain is gone I will step up my training. They have given me two weeks to see how it goes,” said Luphahla from Johannesburg yesterday.
Luphahla has been one of the most consistent performers for the Warriors since 2004, starring in both that year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals and last year’s.
Gifted with pace and skill, Luphahla has often given many a defender an afternoon to forget.
He has matured with age to being one of the best players to emerge from Zimbabwe Saints and Highlanders in the last decade.
Silver Stars finished second on the log and will represent South Africa in the Champions League next season.
Hardly a fortnight after the bone had been put together and metal pieces inserted in his leg, the wound had healed. At the end of three months, he was able to walk on his own and do little running and on Friday, he met a South African specialist in Johannesburg who gave him the thumbs up to resume training.
“I started training with the club yesterday. It is going to be a long journey to full fitness levels. I will try my best. I am back at work. I have healed completely and as soon as the pain is gone I will step up my training. They have given me two weeks to see how it goes,” said Luphahla from Johannesburg yesterday.
Luphahla has been one of the most consistent performers for the Warriors since 2004, starring in both that year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals and last year’s.
Gifted with pace and skill, Luphahla has often given many a defender an afternoon to forget.
He has matured with age to being one of the best players to emerge from Zimbabwe Saints and Highlanders in the last decade.
Silver Stars finished second on the log and will represent South Africa in the Champions League next season.
Dzukamanje was being chased by CAPS United, Dynamos and Motor Action.
He arrived in the city at the weekend and had his first training session at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday afternoon as they prepared for Saturday’s clash against Black Rhinos.
The striker joins the league champions on a short termsix month deal, although there is an option of an extension in the event Highlanders retaining the league championship and participating in the Africa Champions League.
Depending on the coaches’ team selection, Dzukamanje could make his debut on Saturday at Rufaro.
The left footed striker, who had already scored 12 goals in 13 games in the Northern Region league this year, becomes the third player from Warriors to join Highlanders after goalkeeper Tendai Tanyanyiwa and striker Mgcini Mhlophe in 2006.Mhlophe is now at Hwange.
Highlanders’ chairman Ernest Sibanda confirmed the developments yesterday.
“We have signed Dzukamanje from Douglas Warriors on loan for six months, until the end of the year.
“He is a good striker and we expect he will be able to fit into the Highlanders system. He has already scored 12 goals in 13 matches and that shows his calibre,” the chairman said.
While Dzukamanje is probably a replacement for Ralph Matema, who sealed his move to South African giants Orlando Pirates last week, Highlanders have refused to tout him as Matema’s replacement. Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News