Auckland FC captain Hiroki Sakai is out for the rest of the month after picking up an injury during the club’s victory against Melbourne City at the weekend.
Sakai pulled up after feeling pain in his right hamstring mid-way through the first half. He is expected to return in early April.
Also on the sidelines for at least another couple of weeks are Nando Pijnaker and Marlee François. Marlee picked up a knock to his foot during the away trip to Sydney early in February and is still waiting for the bone bruising to subside. Nando sprained his ankle in training before the team took on Wellington Phoenix.
The good news is that the club are hopeful midfielder Louis Verstrate should be fit enough to return to the side in the coming days. Whether he’ll make Sunday’s game against Perth is still unclear.
Long-term injuries to Oli Sail, Oli Middleton and Joe Knowles are all recovering well. Oli Sail recently underwent successful surgery after rupturing his tendon while playing away in Perth back in January.
