Huge career blow for Chitiyo

CAPS United midfielder Ronald "Rooney" Chitiyo has suffered a huge career blow as he is set to miss the rest of the season due to complications over an injury sustained in an accident in February.

The diminutive midfielder, who returned to Makepekepe in January after walking out on Tunisian giants Club Sfaxian, injured his right knee after he was hit by a car while walking in Epworth.

And the 25-year-old player has been ruled out for, at least, the rest of the season.

CAPS United team doctor, Nicholas Munyonga, told The Herald yesterday that Chitiyo is set to undergo an operation on the knee after which he will need between six and nine months to fully recover.

The operation, which Munyonga said can be done locally, is understood to be expensive and CAPS United are still working on the modalities of how their star can be treated.

Chitiyo is currently registered by the club as the team had initially anticipated the former Monomotapa player would recover on time.

In fact, Chitiyo last month thought he had fully recovered, as the medical team had advised him, but he couldn't last two days as the knee started to swell prompting the team to send him for a scan which revealed some complications.

"The injury to Ronald Chitiyo was initially expected to fully heal in six weeks' time," said Munyonga.

"This prompted the club to register him as he was expected to be back in the fold early in the season. However, we have since realised that the injury is more complicated than was initially thought.

"He went for a scan and the club is currently working on the modalities to have the player operated on.

"Upon successful operation of the knee, the player (Chitiyo) will need between six and nine months to fully recover.

"Chitiyo has since stopped training with the rest of the squad as he now awaits the club to sort out the modalities for him to get operated."

While CAPS United had registered Chitiyo, they had left out veteran utility Method Mwanjali after the former Warriors captain seemed to struggle with securing his International Clearance Certificate from Tanzanian giants Simba SC.

Mwanjali is now expected to be registered during the mid-season window which opens next month after he finally received the clearance last month.

The Green Machine are winless in three matches in the Premiership after losing twice at home to Chicken Inn and Ngezi Platinum Stars, with the two results sandwiched by a 1-1 away draw to bogey side Shabanie.

And, trailing leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by 13 points, Makepekepe plunge into another tough battle against Highlanders at Barbourfields on Sunday.

"We know what we are supposed to do. We know we carry a lot of responsibilities," said CAPS coach Lloyd Chitembwe.

"We have to make sure that we achieve our goals. All teams are different. We will approach the match against Highlanders in the manner that we feel we can win the game and it is important to look at it from that angle.

"We just have to be very positive and make sure everyone works hard for the team.

"All we need to do is make sure that we work for the result that we want. Teams are different and there is no need to compare teams. We are on the right track and we have a big task on our hands and there is no task that is not achievable.

"It's natural that after losing a match like what we did against Ngezi Platinum Stars last weekend, everyone at the team, including the supporters, get disappointed.

"The challenge is now with us to respond in a way that will make things differently."