Nabi provides Dove’s assessment after first game from injury layoff

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi has provided an assessment of defender Edmilson Dove, who returned to action after an injury setback in the 1-0 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Lucas Ribeiro’s solo goal in the 41st minute of the showdown was enough to earn Masandawana maximum points and extend their lead at the top of the log standings.

Dove had been on the sidelines for eight months after he ruptured his Achilles tendon during Amakhosi’s pre-season training camp in Turkey in July last year. The former Cape Town City FC star was then forced to return to South Africa to undergo reconstructive surgery.

Dove played for the entire 90 minutes in his first start against the PSL defending champions Sundowns a few days  after he was given the green light by the club’s medical team.

WHAT NASREDDINE NABI SAID ABOUT EDMILSON DOVE’S PERFORMANCE

The Tunisian mentor, Nabi, was delighted to have Dove available for this weekend’s league fixture against Bafana Ba Style and was pleased with how the Mozambican international performed.

Nabi was speaking in a post-match interview following their defeat to the Brazilians in Atteridgeville.

“I have to congratulate him [Dove] because it is not easy to get into this kind of game and play 90 minutes with the intensity we played hard after eight months of injury,” said Nabi.

“It requires a lot of mindset and play with a big character. Defensively, he gave us a very good balance. So, offensively, we couldn’t ask him everything in one day, but he managed to finish the 90 minutes.

“He is also a player that hasn’t played a lot. But since December, he has been training consistently with his teammates and we saw that today he played well.”

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