Ngwenya sees Sithole-like recovery for injured Banyana star
SAFA Chief Medical Officer and CAF Medical Committee Vice-President, Dr Thulani Ngwenya, remains optimistic about Gabriela Salgado's chances of making a full recovery following the serious leg injury she sustained at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
Salgado's Banyana injury
Salgado suffered a broken leg during Banyana Banyana's semi-final defeat to Nigeria on Tuesday evening. The 27-year-old has since undergone successful surgery in Morocco. Dr Ngwenya likened the nature of her injury to that of Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo Sithole, who was sidelined last September with a career-threatening injury.
ALSO READ: Pirates confirm Lepasa exit
Sithole also suffered a leg break during South Africa's 3-2 win over South Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. He has since recovered and is ready to return to competitive football ahead of the new season in Portugal.
'It is a complete leg break. When she went up, her foot was firmly in the ground and because of that, there was a heavy force from the Nigerian athlete on her. If the foot was not on the ground, perhaps the break could have been avoided,' Ngwenya said on Radio 2000.
'This is also most common for female athletes because of the bone density. The bone density is very low for female athletes because of their cycle and that's why we always advocate for good nutrition to strengthen the bone and ligaments.
'Remember that we have also seen it with Sphephelo during an AFCON qualifier, he suffered the same injury and had to be transported back to South Africa to be operated on and he's back in action. With Gabby I'm confident that she will recover.
'Similar to Yaya'
'When they come back (to South Africa) on Monday, we'll start with the rehabilitation process and within six months, Gabby will be back playing again. Yes, she will be out for four to six months. I can almost guarantee you and the entire nation that she will come back because she's only 27. It was almost similar to Yaya Sithole and they are almost the same age.
ALSO READ: OPINION: Bloemfontein Celtic identity crisis: revival or rivalry?
'Yaya is playing again now and ready to be selected. We almost had a similar injury with Refiloe Jane and she's back playing even though it was ligaments. We had an incident with Thembi Kgatlana and she's playing so I will trust the medical expertise that are there in South Africa who will make sure that Gabby is back.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
13 hours ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs starlet draws local and European interest
Kaizer Chiefs' rising right-back Sfiso Timba has caught the eye of PSL club Sekhukhune United following his stellar displays for the DDC team and South Africa's U20 national side, Amajita. Timba, who recently impressed at trials with Belgian outfit RWD Molenbeek and also trained with the Amakhosi senior team, now finds himself at the centre of growing transfer interest. A reliable source close to Naturena revealed that Sekhukhune United have formally enquired about the 19-year-old. 'You know Chiefs were looking at promoting him this season, but it's believed that with the signing of Thabiso Monyane they have enough right backs at the moment and they are looking at him growing. And since it's believed that Sekhukhune United have enquired about him, then they could loan him there. It won't be a permanent move. No, it is expected to be a loan move. But, yes, the interest is there from Sekhukhune United,' said the source. While Chiefs considered elevating Timba to the senior team, Monyane's arrival has temporarily blocked that pathway. However, a loan deal to Sekhukhune could offer the young defender valuable top-flight experience. Meanwhile, the door to Europe remains open. Timba left a strong impression during his stint at RWD Molenbeek, and the Belgian club reportedly still monitors his progress. 'They were happy when he was there. They even made a follow-up on him, and the chances are that he could still go there. But, for now, the club has to deal with the local interest first and take it from there.' Timba's stock has surged since helping coach Raymond Mdaka's Amajita squad clinch the U20 AFCON title. Securing a coveted spot at the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup. His leadership and composure at the back have positioned him as one of the brightest young talents in South African football. As local and international clubs line up for his signature. Kaizer Chiefs face a crucial decision on how best to nurture one of their most promising academy graduates. Should Kaizer Chiefs release another youngster? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
14 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Bafana Bafana's huge World Cup clash against Nigeria hosted in Free State
Bafana Bafana's hugely important 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Nigeria will be played at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on September 9, the South African Football Association announced on Friday. The match against the Super Eagles will be played just a few days after Bafana face Lesotho in an 'away' qualifier at the same venue on September 5. Bafana have potentially their best chance of qualifying for a World Cup, other than as hosts, since 2002 as they lead the six-team Group C with 13 points from five matches to Rwanda and Benin's eight and Nigeria's seven. Phase one of the tickets for the match against Nigeria will be sold at the stadium from August 2, with adults being charged R70 and children R40. Phase two will open on August 9 and will be available at Ticketpro at R100.
The Herald
15 hours ago
- The Herald
MBDA exiting the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium on a path of success
The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a dynamic trading operation that requires a predictable environment to thrive. To ensure a multipurpose facility like it works well, it requires investing time in building relationships, technology, maintenance, and getting the right people on board to build an attractive calendar of events and inventory. A lot of what we see today at the stadium is a return on two years of hard work and investment, developing a whole suite of bankable projects and a viable commercial plan. In the 2024/25 financial year that ended June 30, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality had set a revenue target of R14m for the stadium's operations, and not only did the MBDA surpass this, but significantly so to the tune of more than R20m. For accountability, the financial performance of the MBDA is recorded in monthly management reports submitted to the municipality as a compliance requirement. Since October 2024, the stadium has been the focus of national and international attention, whether for the Home of Legends Cup, Nedbank Semifinal, DHL Stormers against RC Toulon, Bafana Bafana playing Ghana, U20 Rugby Championship, or more recently the Springboks Test match against Italy. The fact is, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is buzzing again. It is this buzz that seems to have suddenly caught attention, and as the popular proverb goes, 'failure is an orphan, but success has many fathers'. The Bay stadium is demonstrating signs of success, and it is no surprise then that some are eager to associate with it. What is not apparent to them is that the fruits we see today are the results of two years of planning, canvassing and lobbying by the MBDA management, while maintaining this city's iconic facility with diligence and care. As we prepare to transition out of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, we hold our heads high and it is important that we give account to the ratepayers of the most recent and notable initiatives of the last 12 months. The Test match did not land on our lap; it came through intense background work we did with EP Rugby and supporting the union with restoring and reimagining its relationship with SA's rugby community. Subsequently, this agreement led to a delegation to SA Rugby presenting our case for regular international rugby Test fixtures to return to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Ultimately, this objective was achieved through a shared commercially driven model that was both mutually beneficial not only for Saru and the MBDA, but the entirety of the Eastern Cape province. The MBDA raised direct revenue of R4.4m from the Test match including nearly R400,000 from food and beverage sales as part of the agreed commercial model with Saru. To put this in context, this equates to 22% of the R20m target that the municipality has challenged the MBDA to achieve in this current financial year. The MBDA has already achieved 22% in one month. In addition, the MBDA saved the municipality a whopping R10m Test match hosting fee through smart commercial deal-making led by the executive management. The Test match's economic impact in the city was north of R60m, with every registered hospitality establishment either full or near capacity. The ripple effect was felt in all corners of the Bay, from Gelvandale, Motherwell, to KwaNobuhle, as a record number of mainly youth were gainfully employed during that week. The retail industry also reported a big surge in sales. The positive media coverage tracked is in the millions, stretching to international markets. The image presented is of a Bay venue with the most gees and vibe not seen in a long time. Social media was abuzz, commending the Bay for a memorable experience, thanks to a partnership forged through efforts of the MBDA, EP Rugby and Saru. The successful hosting of the Springbok Test match was an intended catalyst to advance the case for more national and international fixtures to return to the Bay. Currently, we are at an advanced stage in preparations for hosting an Investec Champions Cup match, once again highlighting the proactive approach of the MBDA in attracting major events that have significant economic spin-offs for the city. We exit the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium mindful that the facility has been well-maintained, has improved operations, systems and controls, but most importantly, the people who we have entrusted with this work are the best at what they do, they are resilient and innovative. As evidenced by the upcoming Jazz on the Lake concert, we had started creating our own portfolio of events as a proactive step to close any gaps in the calendar. It is our hope that absorbing the staff of the stadium into the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality does not diminish their entrepreneurial character and creativity. We also hope that those who take charge can only build on the success they are about to inherit as this stadium represents the only hope for economic growth fuelled by mass sporting events in the province. This is why when we took over the stadium in 2017, rebranded it — giving it back to its citizens as #OURSTADIUM. Anele Qaba, MBDA chief executive The Herald
