Injury survivor gives tips to Bosso’s Tandi

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ON October 23, 2013, the then 25-year-old FC Platinum midfielder Winston Mhango suffered a career threatening injury when he fractured his tibia (the long leg bone) in a Zvishavane derby against Shabanie Mine.

FC Platinum went on to win the hotly contested derby 1-0, with Mhango failing to join his teammates in celebration claiming the bragging rights of Zvishavane as he had been ferried to hospital.

His injury came a year after his former Hwange teammate Rodwell Chinyengetere suffered a double fracture, breaking the tibia and fibula (calf bone) in a match against Monomotapa when goalkeeper Artwell Mukandi lunged at him in the 59th minute and referee Batsirai Muchenje ignored the incident and did not even caution the goalkeeper. That match was played on September 22, 2012, with Hwange losing the encounter 3-0.

Chinyengetere was rushed to hospital, with the coalminers footing his medical expenses as well as his rehabilitation.

When Chinyengetere was injured, he was 24 years old.

Just like what Hwange did for Chinyengetere, FC Platinum took care of Mhango’s bills, with the player missing the whole of the 2014 season and returned to action in 2015 and went on to help the platinum miners to win the 2017 and 2018 titles.

Chinyengetere also defied the injury and returned to action in 2014.

In 2016, he moved to FC Platinum, linking up with Mhango and went on to win the 2017 and 2018 league titles. Chinyengetere was also voted as the 2017 and 2018 Soccer Star of the Year.

Mhango and Chinyengetere had a thing in common, long injury lay-offs that threatened their careers, but they bounced back stronger and are still active.

Mhango (34) was released by Highlanders in April, while Chinyengetere is with Caps United.

Following a nasty injury to Highlanders’ defender Andrew Tandi, who fractured his fibula and dislocated his ankle during the abandoned game against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium, Mhango has made two visits to give moral support to his former Bosso teammate.

The 25-year-old Tandi was the victim of a horror tackle by Dynamos’ winger Bill Antonio and was rushed to hospital after the Bosso medical team led by Dr Shepherd Khumalo responded quickly and put the ankle back into place.

Mhango was by Tandi’s bedside on Wednesday as the player prepared for his operation that was done yesterday.

“Tandi will be back. It’s good that he is mentally strong and that helps a lot in terms of recovery. I’ve been in a similar position before and I told him not to worry much, he’ll be back stronger than before.

Besides being psychologically strong, he needs to follow the doctors’ instructions. If he’s told to rest, he must do so. He must not force himself to a quick return, he should be patient until he is cleared by the doctors.

“The reason why I’m emphasising on him resting is that compared to overseas where they have state-of-the-art facilities that fast-track players’ quick recovery, we don’t have those facilities here, which means one has to be patient and give himself time to recover,” said Mhango.

Tandi, who has been in good spirits, telling his teammates that he’ll bounce back, was reportedly operated on by a specialist who attended to South African-based fringe national team defender McClive Phiri when he fractured his humerus (hand) while turning out for Highlanders in 2019. – @ZililoR