Injured Mushekwi disappointed to miss out MEN ON A MISSION . . . Warriors fitness trainer Thompson “Rubberman” Matenda (right) leads players, including captain Knowledge Musona, in a drill during their training session at the National Sports Stadium yesterday

Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
NYASHA MUSHEKWI says he is extremely disappointed an injury has forced him to miss the Warriors’ 2019 AFCON qualifier against Congo in Brazzaville on Sunday and has revealed he has been playing for his Chinese Super League club, Dalian Yifang, in extreme discomfort.

The giant forward, who turned 31 two weeks ago, flew into Harare yesterday from his base in the Chinese Super League, where he is the leading goal-scorer for Dalian Yifang, after scoring a glut of goals in recent weeks which have captured the imagination of the league.

He went straight into the Warriors training camp to present his medical report, prepared by the medical staff at Dalian Yifang, which show he badly needs the attention of specialists.

Mushekwi told The Herald yesterday his club had long drawn up a programme, which would see him getting medical attention during this international break, because they didn’t know he would be drafted into the Warriors for the Congo assignment after he missed the match against Liberia.

The forward revealed he has been playing for his club under extreme pain, which increased in the last few weeks and his Chinese club even didn’t want him to travel to Zimbabwe to enable him to get the specialist medical treatment in that country.

However, Mushekwi said he insisted he had to make the trip to Harare because he wanted to meet his teammates and the technical staff, during this camp and provide them with support ahead of their tough match against Congo in Brazzaville.

“I am having a lot of pain in my pelvis area, they are suspecting there is an injury in that part and they did some tests and I had some gases in the stomach and after they gave me some medication the issue of the gases has become better,” said Mushekwi.

“However, the pain around my pelvis area has not got any better and I have been playing under a lot of pain and the club had organised that I undergo some intense tests during this international break because they always thought that I would be free since they didn’t expect me to be called to the national team.

“When the call came that I had to report for national duty, it got a little complicated, I mean, from what had been organised in the first place because the club insisted that it was important that I get this extensive medical examination so that we clear everything and I get back to full fitness again.

“They didn’t even want me to take the long flight back home, but I insisted that I had to honour the call to come for national duty because this is my national team and I had to be with my teammates since I feel that it’s important for us to bond together.

“I also told my club that I have a specialist doctor in South Africa that I have known for some time and I would get him to look at me and see what was wrong and what was causing all the pain and they agreed that I come here and that is why I am back home.

“I have already met the team manager, I will meet the team doctor and discuss a few things and I will also discuss a few things with my coach here and, if all goes well, I will then fly to South Africa for the medical examination tomorrow (today).

“Just seeing my teammates was incredible and very important because we have to show that we are united in this journey, those who are playing and those who are not playing for one reason or another and I had to show that I remain committed to playing for my national team.”

Mushekwi said he was disappointed that he would not be able to play on Sunday, but believes if his medical issue is resolved, it could benefit him in the long term and he could feature in the next back-to-back qualifiers for the Warriors against the DRC should the coaches still believe he could add value to the team.

“Of course, it hurts not to play for the national team and it’s sad that I can’t do so in this coming match, but there is nothing that I can do,” he said.

“I wish things could have been different, but sadly that’s not the case.”
A medical report, prepared by the Dalian Yifang team doctor, Antonio Turmo dated August 28, this year, was presented to the Warriors team management.

“Player, 31-years-old, suffering pubic discomfort for several weeks,’’ the report said. “The onset of pain is progressive, there is no bad gesture or previous bruising.

“There is no history of discomfort in this area. The clinical examination shows groin pain in the proving manoeuvres. The sonographic examination shows an erosive image on the left pubic branch.

“An MRI exam is carried out, ruling out a sports hernia problem.
“Occasionally there are intestinal discomforts that may require study, through breath test or gastroscopy, in the future to rule out a gastrointestinal process.

“In a timely manner it has been infiltrated locally to allow it to remain active in competition, however, it only remains undisturbed for about an hour.

“The plan is to start treatment with a protocol work outside the team, for two or three weeks.’’

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