Banyana Banyana star Thembi Kgatlana will miss the rest of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) after picking up a serious injury.
The 2018 African Women’s Footballer of the Year was stretchered off in the second half of the 1-0 win over Botswana, with the Banyana medical team now confirming she unfortunately sustained a ruptured achilles tendon.
“Thembi Kgatlana sustained a complete rupture of the left achilles tendon against Botswana, which was confirmed by the MRI scan this morning,” Dr Rodney Mokoka told www.safa.net.
“Unfortunately she will be out for the whole Wafcon 2022 tournament and she is due for an operation back home in South Africa.
We send our love and support to #TeamSouthAfrica’s star Thembi Kgatlana ❤️
We wish the 2018 #TotalEnergiesWAFCON top scorer a speedy and full recovery 🙏#TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 | #EmpoweringOurGame pic.twitter.com/g2xO4rVvab
— #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 (@CAFwomen) July 11, 2022
“Post-operation healing will be guided by certain milestones that we have to achieve; of course, a comprehensive functional rehabilitation programme will be in place for her but the quicker we achieve those milestones the quicker she will be back on the field of play.”
Mokoka also confirmed that Jermaine Seoposenwe will be able to return to play after she picked up an injury on Sunday.
“Jermain Seoposenwe sustained a soft-tissue injury of the ankle against Botswana. She is doing well and will be available for training tomorrow [on Tuesday],” Mokoka added.
