Times Of Swaziland: HEAD GUARD FOR ‘SIKHALI’

HEAD GUARD FOR ‘SIKHALI’
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BY SANELE JELE on 11/01/2019 00:55:00


MBABANE – In an effort to safeguard him from another head injury, returning
Mbabane Swallows striker Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinisa will be wearing a head
guard.
A head guard is a padded helmet worn to protect the head in contact sports such
as rugby and boxing. However, there are instances where soccer players wear it,
especially when they had a head injury. One particular example is former Chelsea
goalkeeper Peter Cech, who wears it during games.
Cech wears the head guard because he sustained a head-on-collision injury
against Reading player in 2006. He was instructed to wear a head guard for
safety reasons because he had underwent a surgery for a depressed skull
fracture. This was confirmed by Mbabane Swallows PRO Jackson Dlamini yesterday.
“Ndzinisa’s injury has healed but to ensure that he does not incur a head
injury, he will wear a head guard during the games. These were instructions from
the doctors and we need to respect them. The team has already bought the head
guard and he will be wearing it on Saturday when we play Manzini Sundowns,”
Dlamini said.
registration
He further said that they were expecting to finalise ‘Sikhali’s registration
paperwork today.
“You will recall that the doctors gave him a green light to play in December
but he could not play because he was not registered yet. We have already
submitted his papers to the Eswatini Football Association and we are hoping that
all his papers will be ready by tomorrow (today),” he said
The striker has fully recovered from the head injury he suffered in August 2017.
This was during the Eswatini Telecom Charity Cup where Swallows were playing
against bitter-sworn rivals, Mbabane Highlanders. The game was played at
Somhlolo National Stadium where Swallows won 3-2.
After the injury, a craniotomy surgery was done on the striker’s head at
Manzini Clinic, costing Swallows over E400 000 in operation fees.
‘Sikhali’ was once nominated for the African Player of the Year and has also
scooped the top goalscorer award and player of the season in the 2016/17 season.
On another note, Dlamini pleaded with the team’s supporters to wear the
‘Myekeleni Aphumule’ T-shirt tomorrow.
“We will be wearing the ‘Myekeleni Aphumule’ T-shirts in honour of the
late Gamedze. This is around the time, January 14, when he was taken away from
us a year ago. The T-shirts will also be sold at the stadium at E80,” he
added.
The ‘Birds’ will cross swords with Manzini Sundowns in a league clash
tomorrow at Somhlolo National Stadium. Kick-off time is 4pm.