Chiefs suffer Bimenyimana injury blow

Kaizer Chiefs are set to face TS Galaxy in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday without their new star striker and leading goalscorer, following reports that Caleb Bimenyimana could be ruled out for a month with a thigh injury, picked up in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Chippa United in Durban.

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Chiefs return to their regular home ground at FNB Stadium for the visit of Galaxy, but look like having to try and get back to winning ways without the Burundi international, who has six league goals so far this season.

SABC Sport reported on Tuesday that Bimenyimana would not be able to play again for Amakhosi until after the 2022 Fifa World Cup finals in Qatar, which kick off on November 20.

This means that Bimenyimana will also miss the DStv Premiership Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates, which will take place on October 29.

Bimenyimana’s absence adds to the setback of the defeat to Chippa, especially as before that Amakhosi seemed to be on the right track under Arthur Zwane, winning three consecutive Premiership games.

Others will have to take on the responsibility of hitting the back of the net in the coming weeks. Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom has never scored for Chiefs at senior level, but says he is desperate to break that duck.

“Knowing I haven’t scored since I played for the team, it (a goal) is something I look for, every game I pray for my first goal,” said Blom, who believes Chiefs had only themselves to blame for the loss to Chippa.

“We had it in our hands, we were leading in the first half and we gave them easy goals and missed chances, so we are not happy … we gave the game away,” he added.

Galaxy are struggling this season but have been a bit of a bogey team for Chiefs in the past, famously beating them in the 2019 Nedbank Cup final, when Galaxy were in the NFD.

Chiefs, indeed, have only beaten the Rockets once in six attempts, scoring just once in that time too.

“I think they have given us problems in the past but we are looking forward to stopping that and are looking … to collect maximum points,” said Blom.