WINDHOEK: Namibian footballer Lubeni Haukongo will be out of action until the end of the 2023/24 South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) season after picking up an injury in February. Haukongo, who plies his trade for relegation threatened Cape Town Spurs in the PSL, tore a muscle while in action against AmaZulu at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on 17 February 2024. The footballer, who recently returned from Ivory Coast after representing his country there, recently told Nampa that the situation is frustrating but he will take his time to recover. 'I tore my muscle completely but have gone through an operation and I'm now recovering at home. With the season coming to an end, I don't think I will make it back as I was given three months to completely recover,' he said. He added that he is thankful to his teammates and management who have made him feel at home. 'It's frustrating to be injured, but my teammates and everyone at the club help make my recovery period smooth. Despite being out for three mon ths I will not be travelling back home to Namibia as I have therapy to attend here,' Haukongo said. The 23-year-old Swakopmund-born defender also told this agency that he hopes to recover fully by June 2024, when Namibia is expected to take on Liberia in their World Cup qualifiers. 'It is an honour to represent your country. The feeling I get from that is inexplicable and I am confident that by the time we start with the World Cup qualifiers, I will be fully recovered and ready to represent my country,' said Haukongo. Meanwhile, Haukongo expressed that one of his greatest moments as a footballer was when he represented his region at the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup. 'Playing at the Namibian Newspaper Cup made me the player that I am today as I was exposed to national scouts who selected me for the Under-17 national team, and I also ended up representing my country at U20 and U23 before the senior national team,' he said. He called on all young players preparing to compete at the upcoming Nedbank Newspa per Cup during the Easter Weekend to be disciplined and to give it their all as they do not know who might be watching them. Source: The Namibia Press Agency
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