The local senior football national team could go into tonight’s second leg clash in Bamako, Mali without two of their crucial players in Ofentse Nato and captain Joel Mogorosi due to minor injuries. Coach Peter Butler is sweating over the fitness of two of his industrial and experienced players.
Zebras captain Mogorosi, who got the side’s second goal in the 2-1 win, was brought off in the latter stages of the game as a precaution. Although the versatile winger never showed any real sign of hurt while in the game, he later complained of a sore right knee of which he told Gazette Sport that he would have to run it past the doctors ahead of the return fixture.
“I am not sure how bad it is but it is painful. I will be seeing the team doctors to see if I will be ready for the game in Mali, “ said Mogorosi during a post match interview.
Mogorosi’s injury could prove a serious blow for the local boys and so could Nato’s. The Atletico de Kolkata man landed awkwardly on his right ankle and was subjected to medical attention for several times during the game. Nato soldiered on and endured the pain until the referee’s final whistle.
Although this publication could not tie down Nato for an interview as they had to immediately leave the stadium to catch a flight to Gaborone right after the match, the Briton tactician Butler expressed his worries.
“We have to wait and see, he is a strong lad, he took a few knocks but we will find out the extent of his knock soon,” Butler said shortly. It is no doubt that should the two join to the team’s injury list, the Zebras would have it hard in Mali tonight.