Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa has expressed his delight after making his long-awaited return to action following a lengthy spell on the sideline through injury.
The 24-year-old return to the field for the first time when he came on as a second half substitute during the Buccaneers 2-1 win over AmaZulu at the Orlando Stadium on Thursday evening.
Lepasa spent 373 days on the sideline with an ankle injury, having last played during their 1-0 victory over Chippa United on 16 December 2020.
“I would love to thank every medical staff member that was involved in helping me get back, every doctor, nurse, physio and bio’s that worked with me. I am truly grateful,” Lepasa tweeted on his official Twitter account.
“Special thanks to the Orlando Pirates medical team and technical team. I wouldn’t be here without you all. I was a difficult person to deal with at times but we pulled through.
“A big thank you to every one of my teammates, you pushed me and still believed in me. I love you gents.
“A special thanks to Alex Shahim, I can never explain how lucky I feel to be managed by you. You believe in me so much!
“To my family and my close friends, I will always cherish you guys in my heart. You have been with me since day and I will never forget that.
“And lastly thank you to everyone who wished me well tonight and in the past months. This is what we prayed for! It feels good to wear that beautiful jersey again!.”
It felt good to be backš¦. I canāt wait to see what the future has in store for me! @orlandopirates ā¤ļøā¤ļø#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/EBysOA5bNf
— Zakhelelepasa (@Lepasazakhele) December 23, 2021