Coach Ernst Middendorp has begun his preparations for this coming Saturday’s SAA Supa8 clash with Golden Arrows; with the knowledge that Ditheko Mototo will be unavailable for selection. This is after Mototo strained his hamstring during the Telkom Charity Cup game against Mamelodi Sundowns.

The hard running and tough as nails defender entered the fray as a second half substitute as he and the other second half inclusions Arthur Zwane and David Mathebula helped Chiefs claw their way into the game after The Amakhosi were trailing the PSL Champions 2-0 at the break when Mototo, who came on as a substitute, crawled off the field in agony and was replaced for the remaining couple of minutes by Serge Djiehoua.

After examining Mototo, team physiotherapist David Milner gave the following diagnosis “he strained his hamstring and was in quite a bit of pain on Saturday - the pain has somewhat subsided, he will have to sit out training and any other activity for the next ten days”.

The injury now means that Mototo will return to training on the 17th of August and Milner is hopeful that he will be fully fit for Chiefs opening PSL Game against SuperSport United on the 27th August adding “we have some time to go before the league kicks off, we are earmarking him to return to full training on the 18th and that should give us enough time to have him available for selection by the time we play SuperSport. We will monitor the situation on a daily basis and we will not rush him back before time”.

Derrick Spencer has also ended up on the physiotherapist table after picking up a knock in the 2-1 defeat to Sundowns. As Milner explains Spencer’s injury is not as serious as it first looked “the swelling around Derrick’s ankle has subsided significantly since Saturday and I think he should be able to start with some light work on Tuesday morning”.

Another injury concern to The Amakhosi is goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune who left the field on Sunday while on duty for the national under twenty team against their Zimbabwean counterparts in an African Youth Championships qualifier after he collided with an opponent during the game.

Milner is unaware of the extent of the injury to Khune adding, “we have not yet received a report from the national team Doctor. Once we receive it, we will decide whether Khune needs any special medical attention when he arrives back on Tuesday”.

Apart from Mototo, Ernst Middendorp will have an almost full strength squad to choose from for Saturday’s ¼ Final clash against Arrows. The Chief’s coach will have to shuffle his pack around at the back this weekend, which could see Jimmy Tau or Siphiwe Mkhonza, make their way into the starting eleven.