'Should be' - striker hands Portsmouth significant boost following 12-week injury lay-off
Kusini Yengi is closing in on his long-awaited Pompey comeback.
Twelve weeks after suffering a knee injury while on international duty for Australia against Bahrain, the Blues striker took part in his first full training session with his Fratton Park team-mates - including Regan Poole - today.
The front man has missed 18 matches in total during that period, with Pompey also reinforcing their attacking options since with fellow Aussie Thomas Waddingham, who joined from Brisbane Roar the January transfer window.
Much of the Blues’ striking burden has fallen on Colby Bishop, who netted his 50th goal for the club in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win against Cardiff City at Fratton Park.
But with Yengi on track to make a welcome return to the squad, his availability will come as another welcome boost - a day after Mark O’Mahony made his first Pompey match-day squad since suffering a side strain against Swansea back in November.
Providing the latest on the Fratton favourite, John Mousinho told The News on Wednesday: ‘Kas is on the same (recovery) programme as Regan. He trained fully today but probably not available for the weekend - but should be available next week.’
Yengi’s 2024-25 Fratton Park frustrations
Pompey travel to Oxford United on Saturday - a game that will come too soon for the former Western Sydney Wanderers forward. However, the home fixture against QPR on Saturday, February 22, looks a realistic target for Yengi, who has endured a frustrating second season on the south coast.
After bursting onto the scene last term with 13 goals and two assists from 31 appearances, the 11-times-capped Socceroo has seen his game time severely restricted in 2024-25 because of injury. Separate groin, muscle and knee problems have limited him to just eight Championship outings to date and ruled him out of 25 games in all competitions.
Yengi, who last featured for the Fratton Park outfit against Preston on November 9, is also waiting to get off the mark in front of goal this season. Indeed, his last competitive goal coming against Wigan on April 20 - nearly 10 months ago.
Alongside Poole, the striker’s availability will be welcomed, with Pompey still in a relegation battle despite their midweek vicory over fellow Championship strugglers Cardiff. Yet their imminent returns coincide with an injury to Conor Shaughnessy, who was withdrawn early from the game against the Bluebirds with a hamstring injury.
The Blues will learn the full extent of that injury on Friday, when the results of a scan come through.
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