Injury curse frustrates Peter Banda

Malawi National Football Team attacking midfielder Peter Banda is a frustrated man because of persistent injuries that have been haunting him since last year.

Banda aggravated his dislocated shoulder when he started the match between Malawi and Egypt in an Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Tuesday.

This comes four days after the Tanzanian side Simba SC player was substituted within 10 minutes of his introduction during the first leg in Cairo, Egypt.

The former FCB Nyasa Big Bullets player said he is increasingly becoming worried with the injuries.

“I am really disappointed with the injuries. I do not know what is happening to me,’’ Banda said.

The youngster, however, said he was confident that he would start light training soon.

Banda is no stranger to injuries, having struggled with his knee, ankle and shoulder since last year.

Before the latest shoulder injury, the talented midfielder missed several of Simba’s crucial Tanzania Premier League matches due to an ankle injury.

He later recovered and resumed playing for the club.

Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Technical Team Manager James Sangala said the youngster needs more attention.

“After a proper assessment by the medics, we will be able to know the gravity of the injury,’’ Sangala said.

Banda also missed the Afcon qualifiers against Ethiopia and Guinea last year due to a knee injury but featured for Malawi during the 2022 Cosafa Cup in Durban, South Africa.

Sports medicine expert Kaponda Masiye said the Flames medical team committed an act of injustice to both the player and the entire nation.

“If it, indeed, was a dislocation, we would not expect him to return to the field of play four days later. That is totally impossible, unless the diagnosis was something else.

“A dislocated shoulder needs some weeks to heal. The injured player needs to wear a sling for several weeks to protect the shoulder from movements as it heals,’’ Masiye said.