Sunzu injured during Zambia training

Zambia are hoping for the best possible news after influential defender Stopilla Sunzu suffered a crunching injury during Chipolopolo’s Wednesday morning training session in Kitwe.

Sunzu sustained a right knee injury when he connected with Nkana defender Kapota Kayawe’s high boot during a practice match at Arthur Davies Stadium.

The defender from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua limped off clearly in pain and grimacing and had to be aided by two medics off the pitch to the dugout for treatment in the final minutes of training.

Zambia team physician Doctor Joseph Kabungo said in an interview that it was too early to give a verdict on Sunzu’s injury status.

“For now, he is in pain of course and we will reassess his knee again if he will be available for the next training session or not,” Dr Kabungo said.

“But from the look of things for the afternoon (Wednesday) he is definitely out, then we will see if he is ready for tomorrow (Thursday).”

Sunzu suffered the injury in his first training session with Zambia after arriving on Tuesday evening from his base in China.

The defender is one of two players nursing an injury for Zambia together with striker Evans Kangwa of Hapoel Ra’anana in Israel.

Kangwa was rested for Wednesday’s training due to a thigh injury he suffered during Tuesday afternoon training.

“Evans did not train. We took precautions because he had a strain in the adductors muscle on the left side so we rested him in the morning and in the afternoon he will do light training. Hopefully he should be back in training tomorrow (today),” Dr Kabungo said.

supersport.com