Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari suffered an injury while on national duty during the just-ended FIFA International break.
He sustained the injury during Rwanda’s 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The 25-year-old was forced off the pitch with 20 minutes to go.
Reports from Rwanda have shed light on the extent of the injury. The former TS Galaxy goalkeeper is suspected to have had a meniscus tear. Meniscus tears typically require a recovery period of four weeks, depending on the severity and location of the tear.
The setback means Ntwari will miss Chiefs’ upcoming matches against Richards Bay FC and Royal AM. This leaves goalkeeper coach Ilyes Mzoughi with a decision to make between Bruce Bvuma and Brandon Petersen to fill the void.
Chiefs’ next game is against Natal Rich Boyz on Wednesday before they welcome Thwihli Thwahla on Saturday, 30 November 2024.
WHAT FIACRE NTWARI SAID ABOUT HIS KAIZER CHIEFS START
Ntwari has started all official matches for Chiefs since joining the club from The Rockets. In Chiefs’ Carling Knockout Cup encounter against Mamelodi Sundowns, he was beaten four times.
The 4-0 defeat meant he has let in 11 goals in seven games in all competitions. His performances have attracted a lot of criticism from fans.
However, the Amavubi number one goalkeeper has defended his performances, saying they are not solely responsible for the team’s struggles.
He said the club has had a challenging start to the season, picking only seven points from five matches. This has left the Soweto giants in eighth position on the log standings with only two victories to their name.
“It’s not about me being the problem,” said Ntwari, as quoted by Rwanda’s The New Times. “The issue is that the team isn’t in a good place right now.
“We started the season well, but over the last three games, we haven’t performed as expected. This is a team with a passionate fan base, and the pressure to win every match is always there.”
He added that he believes the situation will improve “in the coming days”.
“It’s not a big deal. These things happen in football,” added the goalie. “You can’t win every match, and sometimes fans don’t handle that well. But that’s the reality of the sport. I believe things will improve in the coming days.
“Sometimes players are at fault, but the only way forward is to keep working hard. We will continue giving everything to ensure the team gets back on track,” added the self-effacing goalie.
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