Tshepo Molwane
23 October 2008
Township Rollers' goalkeeper, Anthony Matengu is recuperating at home after suffering life-threatening head injury in the derby against Gaborone United (GU) at the UB Stadium on Saturday night.
The custodian lost consciousness after receiving a kick on the head from on-rushing GU striker Kenny 'Shoes' Ledikwe towards the end of the game. The duo were scrambling for the rebound from Sageby Sandaka's shot which came off the upright. Matengu was rushed to hospital and his place was taken by Goitseone Morake who conceded the goal that gave GU a 3-2 win.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport yesterday, Matengu said he is doing well though his head is still aching.
He is concerned by the lack of qualified medical staff at Premier League games because this puts players' lives at risk. "I think it is high time that our clubs do something about this. This is one thing which makes me mad. It will chase potential players from the game. What if I had died at the stadium because I understand it took sometime for me to be taken to hospital?" he said. Matengu told Mmegi Sport that Ledikwe phoned and apologised to him.
"I have accepted his apology. These things do happen in football because it is a contact sport," he asserted.
He hinted that he might return to training next week as he wants to make sure that he is fully recovered. "It is unfortunate that we ended up losing the game but maybe it was bound to happen," he said. Matengu will miss the game against BDF XI at the UB Stadium on Sunday night. This means that either Morake or Under-20 goalkeeper Kabelo Dambe might be between the posts.
Ledikwe said that when the Rollers' goalkeeper was taken to the hospital, he was not worried. But he got scared after the final whistle. "I phoned him and apologised since it was not intentional," he said.
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