City say Ngoma is a non-starter in MTN8
SPEEDY WINGER NOT IN FULL TRAINING AFTER KNEE SURGERY
There is no chance of Aubrey Ngoma making a surprise return to action for Cape Town City in Saturday’s MTN8 final as the winger is still one month off a comeback from his knee injury.
Hopes that the speedy wide player might prove a joker for the club at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, where City take on SuperSport United to decide the R8-million prize, have had cold water poured on them by club officials.
“It is true that he is back and at training, but he was mostly running and working with the physio afterwards,” said spokesman Julian Bailey on Monday.
“In the next two to three weeks he will start practicing more and more, so it’s safe to say he’ll be participating fully in one month’s time.”
Ngoma had surgery after a severe tear of a knee cartilage while training with Bafana Bafana before the Cosafa Castle Cup in June. He spent just a week in Johannesburg after the surgery before returning to Cape Town to begin his rehabilitation at the Sports Science Institute campus next to the Newlands rugby stadium.
The centre has revolutionary bicycles designed to help sportsmen recovering from serious knee injuries.
Ngoma’s absence has been tempered by City’s bright start to the season, including reaching the final of the MTN8. The club is also among the front-runners in the league.
Ngoma was the catalyst last season when City won the Telkom Knockout and finished third in the Absa Premiership in their maiden campaign. He won a first call-up to the national team as a result in June.
Cape Town City and SuperSport kick off at 7pm on Saturday night and the match is included in TAB Soccer 6 and Soccer 10 pools.