Luckless Hibs star in fresh injury blow as winter recruit limps out of international battle
The Hibs defender has suffered a setback during the international break.
Hibs have been left sweating over the fitness of defender Munashe Garananga after the on-loan Copenhagen defender’s most recent injury blow.
The centre-back who joined the Premiership side on the final day of the winter transfer window has only featured twice under head coach David Gray, having picked up a knock against Hearts in the Edinburgh derby on February 10th. He was substituted in that match and has been an unused sub for the last three Hibs matches.
He jetted off last week to join the Zimbabwe national team camp for a Four-Nations tournament, their semi-final coming against Botswana, which took place on Saturday. Garananga started the match that ended in a 3-0 win for the Warriors but was subject of an ‘injury enforced substitution’ and limped off the pitch, according to the Zimbabwean FA’s social media.
What happened to Munashe Garananga on international duty?
Zimbabwean news outlet, Soccer 24, claimed he was substituted while clutching his hamstring but the full extent of the injury and its severity is now known at this point. The Warriors face a youthful Zambia side on Tuesday, with their opponents’ senior side in South America for a glamour friendly against Argentina, that Hibs midfielder Miguel Chaiwa was due to be part of.
He remained in Edinburgh for this international break, however, after a muscle problem picked up in the stalemate with Motherwell last time out. Hibs return to Premiership action this weekend against Kilmarnock and Rocky Bushiri will hope to enter the match with a World Cup berth under his belt as he and RD Congo face Jamaica in a World Cup qualifier. The winner will reach the major tournament in America, Canada and Mexico.
"We're really fired up," DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre said. “We're still on course to meet our main objective. That's the goal we set ourselves when I took this job three and a half years ago. This final will be our 13th match since our qualifying campaign began.
What Hibs stars will play at the World Cup?
“We're lucky enough to have talented players who ply their trade at top clubs. Above all, everyone has really bought into the project we’ve been building together. Everyone is pulling in the same direction to achieve a common goal. We can make it tough for our opponents because we play as a unit: our forwards track back, our defenders push forward, and everyone pulls together, as if they were soldiers going into battle for their country.”
Already booked for the World Cup are Australia, who Hibs duo Martin Boyle and Ante Suto are with currently, and they face Curacao on Tuesday morning UK time. Grant Hanley is with the Scotland for their friendly in Liverpool against the Ivory Coast while Kai Andrews is with Wales’ U21s team as they face Denmark on Tuesday.”