BIG Zimbabwe shot stopper Edmore Sibanda’s Total Africa Cup of Nations tournament is in the balance after he suffered a contusion injury in the Warriors’ Group A opener against hosts Egypt at Cairo International Stadium on Friday night.

A contusion happens when an injured capillary or blood vessel leaks blood into the surrounding area. On a night in which he put up a top drawer performance between the sticks that saw him denying the Pharaoh’s two goal scoring opportunities inside the opening minute of the game, Sibanda had to be pulled out for Elvis Chipezeze with 13 minutes of the match remaining after having tried to soldier on with the injury.

“Sibanda sustained a right knee contusion injury. The knee is mildly swollen and painful. He has responded well to our initial treatment. We are managing the inflammation and also planning to do a diagnostic radiological investigation to ascertain and confirm the actual injury,” said the Warriors doctor Samon Mudariki, who added that the player was responding well to treatment.

Despite Sibanda’s reaction to treatment the team doctor said they can not give a certain response on the player’s chances of total recovery ahead of the next encounter against Uganda on Wednesday night.

“We will know exactly after conducting a scan to confirm or exclude other related injuries associated with that particular mechanism of injury. Otherwise our Physiotherapist Admire Nyamadzawo is on top of the situation with regards to his rehabilitation programme,” said Mudariki.

Mudariki also said they were monitoring China-based striker Nyasha Mushekwi who too was substituted late in the game as he seemed to be struggling with his runs.

“We are also monitoring Mushekwi, he complained of tightness in his left hamstring. Following our physical examination, we are tentatively treating it as a probable grade 1 hamstring strain. He is also being ably attended to by our physiotherapist and will await to see how he responds to the rehab programme. Apart from that we have no other injury concerns at the moment,” said Mudariki.

With a potential five games to be played in the tournament for the Warriors, coach Sunday Chidzambwa who heaped praises for Sibanda and his replacement Chipezeze, will be praying that the two players make a quick and full recovery. Guinea bound Tafadzwa Kutinyu had to be dropped from the tournament due to injury with the technical team replacing him with Lawrence Mhlanga who was left behind.