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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE international forward, Prince Dube, is set to face six more weeks on the sidelines after he was taken to South Africa this week for surgery.

The Tanzania-based striker was set to go under the surgeon’s knife yesterday at the Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, to treat a sports hernia injury.

Sports hernias are typically caused by repetitive or explosive motions, especially those that require twisting of the pelvis such as football, hockey, soccer, rugby, skiing, running and hurdling.

The soft tissues that perform these movements, found in the lower abdomen and pubic area, are most frequently torn or injured.

Dube has been struggling with the abdominal ailment since the end of May, when he limped off the field during the quarter-final match of the Azam Sports Federation against Rhino Rangers.

Azam beat the second-tier side 3-1.

But Dube went on to miss the remaining four games of the season and lost the Golden Boot race to John Bocco of Simba SC, by one goal.

Azam chief executive, Abdulkarim Amin, told The Herald yesterday Dube was referred to the hospital for the first time in July for treatment.

And, the doctors recommended another appointment.

Dube left for Cape Town last Sunday for the procedure. 

“Azam have a professional arrangement, with the Vincent Pallotti Hospital, who handle all the medical needs of the club’s personnel,’’ said Amin.

“The first time he went there, the doctors decided to give him injections, and then rest for four to six weeks, which he did.

“Then, the team travelled to Zambia (last month) for the pre-season, and he joined them later on after completing the recommended rest period.

“He trained well and the coach decided to give him a few minutes, in one of the friendly matches, and he actually scored a goal in that game.’’

However, Dube started feeling some discomfort.

“Then, the second day, he ruptured the tendon again,’’ said Amin. 

“So, we decided to send him back to Cape Town. 

“He met the doctors on Monday and they assessed the inflammation and decided to perform an operation on him.

“Afterwards, he would need complete rest, for three weeks, and then three more weeks, to work towards resumption of training. 

“After six weeks, he will be back and we believe the problem will be gone for good.’’

Dube missed Zimbabwe’s World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Ethiopia.

He had just started completed his rehabilitation before the injury recurred, while on pre-season tour with Azam, in Zambia.

The forward is set to miss Azam’s Confederation Cup preliminary round tie against Horseed FC of Somalia. 

The first leg takes place tomorrow in Dar es Salaam.

He will also not likely to be fit by the time Zimbabwe plunge into back-to-back World Cup fixtures, against Ghana, next month.

Dube had a storming start to life in Tanzania last season.

However, his progress was disrupted by injuries. 

He also had another surgery to repair a broken ulna bone. 

The Zimbabwe forward was injured during a Tanzania top-flight league match against Young Africans.