Kaizer Chiefs supporters have been handed good news as the club confirmed that talismanic striker Samir Nurkovic was edging closer to returning to action.
The club confirmed on Tuesday that the 28-year-old Serb was “progressing well” after undergoing surgery on his groin.
“The medical team is anticipating his return to the training fields in two weeks’ time. The striker is recovering from a surgery that has seen him miss the start of this season,” Chiefs said on the team’s injury update on the club’s official website.
Read: Of the 45+ players that Amakhosi signed since 2015, only a handful have made an impact
Nurkovic finished as Chiefs’ top goal-scorer with 13 goals from 26 league matches last season, and his absence has been felt.
Amakhosi have struggled so far in the opening days of the new campaign and none of Chiefs attackers has scored in six official games across all competitions.
Defender Yagan Sasman opened the team’s scoring account with a brace in a come-from-behind MTN8 quarterfinal 2-1 win over Maritzburg United last month.
However, that was the last time a Chiefs player found the back of the net as Amakhosi’s 5-0 humiliation on aggregate by Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates in the semifinals further exposed coach Gavin Hunt’s team’s bluntness in attack.
Chiefs’ only league win so far – a 1-0 victory over Chippa United a fortnight ago – was courtesy of an own goal.
The positive development around Nurkovic can only give hope to the Amakhosi faithful, but Hunt has been presented with new issues in his bid to stabilise the team’s porous rearguard.
Read: The time to experience Soweto derby with fans will come – Hunt
The coach was dealt a double blow at the weekend when central defender Mulomowandawu Mathoho was red-carded in the game against Pirates, while full-back Reeve Frosler was injured in the same game. Frosler has been ruled out for eight weeks, according to Chiefs’ medical team.
The 22-year-old defender was subsequently withdrawn from the Bafana Bafana squad that is due to play São Tomé and Príncipe in the Afcon qualifiers this coming weekend.
Meanwhile, Chiefs’ medical team has cleared striker Keletso Sifama to resume full training following “a minor ankle injury”.
Amakhosi will next face Golden Arrows in the DStv Premiership at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium next Saturday (November 21).
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
