HARARE - Warriors coach Norman Mapeza Onismo Bhasera was stretchered off the pitch during his English League One side Plymouth Argle’s 2-0 loss to Hartlepool at the weekend. Mapeza said he has\d already put on standby at least two players – a left back and a striker as possible replacements before the crucial tie.
“When you have two of your key players getting injured before a crucial match like this, it worries any coach. I was banking on Bhasera and Knowledge Musona. These are key players and we will continue to monitor their progress. But I have already put on standby two players to replace them in case they don’t recover by the time we play Mali, said Mapeza.
Bhasera lasted 34 minutes of the game for bottom-placed Plymouth and was replaced by Karl Duguid for the remainder of the match. Reports from England said Bhasera was stretchered off in considerable pain, but his clubs official website said nothing had been broken.
He had only just recovered from a knee injury to help Plymouth to three successive wins to move them off the relegation zone.
Although Mapeza could not disclose which players he had put on standby, sources said Under-23 skipper Qadr Amin and Cuthbert Malaljila have been put on standby.
Last month, Bhasera (24) sat out the last six matches and had to be substituted at half-time in the 3-1 win away to MK Dons in January after opening the scoring with a spectacular long-range shot.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News