May Mahlangu returns from injury ahead of local derby

30 March 2017 - 18:11 By Nick Said
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Bafana Bafana and Dinamo Bucharest midfielder May Mahlangu has returned to full fitness just in time for one of his Romanian side’s biggest games of the season on Saturday.

Mahlangu had sat out the past month through injury‚ ending his hopes of a Bafana recall after some good form for Dinamo this season.

He was back for the Romanian Cup quarterfinal penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Universitatea Craiova on Wednesday night‚ and is now looking forward to a clash with bitter city rivals Steaua Bucharest on Saturday as both sides remain in the hunt for the league title.

  • 'When I went there I told myself that I needed to work hard and forget about SA,' says DollyThe change of coach as he arrived‚ which might have resulted in uncertainty‚ actually helped speed the process for Keagan Dolly of breaking into the first team at Montpellier‚ the Bafana Bafana attacker has said. 

“We all know what it means to play against Steaua. Is the game that we all want to win it‚” Mahlangu said‚ before adding he was feeling fully fit following his injury troubles.

“I worked hard‚ I'm sure the coach saw it‚ I'm happy that I was given the opportunity to do my best in this match.

"So I feel much better than before.”

Dinamo are out of the main cup competition in Romania‚ but have made the final of the League Cup‚ the equivalent of the Telkom Knockout.

  • Mahlambi‚ Singh‚ Tau and Manyama to start for Bafana in East LondonSouth African Under-20 internationals Phakamani Mahlambi and Luther Singh will both start in Bafana Bafana's friendly against Angola in Eat London on Tuesday night. 

They defeated Steaua over two legs in the semifinals‚ with Mahlangu having an eventful first leg in which he netted a fine opener on 19 minutes before limping off injured shortly afterwards to spend the next month out.

Mahlangu signed a three-year deal with Dinamo in September having been a free agent following his departure from Belgian side Sint Truiden at the end of last season.

Mahlangu is a product of the Stars of Africa Academy and also played for Alexandra United.

  • Mahlambi‚ Singh‚ Tau and Manyama to start for Bafana in East LondonSouth African Under-20 internationals Phakamani Mahlambi and Luther Singh will both start in Bafana Bafana's friendly against Angola in Eat London on Tuesday night. 

He moved to Swedish side Helsingborg in 2008 when he was still a teenager and looked set to be a major star in Europe but a bad Achilles tendon injury in 2013 set back his ambitions.

He was named Swedish League Player of the Year in 2011 while with Helsingborg.

He won the last of his 17 international caps against Burkina Faso in the World Cup qualifier in October last year.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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