AmaZulu coach Ayanda Dlamini has confirmed that striker Gabadinho Mhango will be out for three months due to a groin injury.
Mhango picked up his injury against SuperSport United at Tuks Stadium, when Usuthu lost 2-1 last month.
The former Orlando Pirates striker has since missed the last three games for the club and will also be absent when Usuthu host his former side Pirates in the last game of the season at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
“Mhango picked a groin injury against SuperSport and will be out for three months,” said Dlamini to iDiski Times.
Mhango joined Usuthu at the beginning of the season in a swap deal with Thapelo Xoki.
The 30-year-old, who shared the PSL Golden Boot with Mamelodi Sundowns hitman Peter Shalulile in 2019/20, has featured in 20 games in all competitions, scoring six goals in the process.
The injury of Mhango will also represent a huge blow to Malawi, who recently appointed former Kaizer Chiefs captain Patrick Mabedi, as they are trying to secure qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast in January and February next year.
In Group D, Malawi have just three points after four matches, and will face Ethiopia on 20 June away at Estadio Nacional do Zimpeto before completing the qualifiers in September at home against second-placed Guinea, who sit on nine points but they could still catch based on the head-to-head rule.
Meanwhile, Egypt, last year’s AFCON losing finalists, are also on nine points, but took six points off Malawi in March qualifiers.
In the AFCON finals last year, Mhango was the star for the Flames as they reached the quarter-final for the first time in their history, scoring three goals before they were knocked out by Morocco.
Mhango scored a blinding goal in that game from range in the seventh minute before Achraf Hakimi and Youssef En-Nesyri turned the game around for the Atlas Lions.
