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Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster faces a major setback as his season may be abruptly ended due to a severe injury incurred during Burnley’s goalless draw against Derby County in the English Championship on Tuesday evening.
The Clarets have dropped from the pinnacle of the English second-tier standings after their draw with the relegation-threatened Rams at Pride Park. Leeds United has seized the top position with a narrow 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
With five matches left, the battle for automatic promotion is heating up, as Leeds and second-placed Burnley are currently tied on 85 points after 41 matches. Meanwhile, third-placed Sheffield United trails closely behind with 83 points.
Notably, Scott Parker’s squad is scheduled to host the Blades in matchday 44 – a fixture that could be crucial for the promotion hopes of both teams, having both been relegated from the English Premier League last season. Burnley has claimed victory in four of the last five meetings between the two clubs.
However, the Clarets might have to persevere in their pursuit without their reliable forward Foster during these critical late matches. The Bafana international entered the game in the 68th minute but was forced to leave just six minutes later due to injury.
The 24-year-old forward appears to have dislocated his shoulder, as he was seen clutching his shoulder and in tears while being assisted by the physio and medical staff as he exited the field. The Burnley manager consoled Foster before he departed down the tunnel, clearly upset.
Parker commented on the seriousness of the injury after the match: “Yeah, it doesn’t look good, to be honest with you. We’ll know more tomorrow. We’ll scan him first thing in the morning and have a clearer picture, but it doesn’t seem promising,” he stated, as reported by Burnley Express.
This is the second time this season that Foster’s substitute appearance has been cut short, having experienced a similar incident before the March FIFA international break, from which he quickly recovered to join the national team and scored against Benin.
The former Monaco player will view this as a significant setback, especially after providing a crucial assist against Coventry City in league play over the weekend. Foster has missed 13 games this season for the promotion-contending team due to a knee injury.
In total, Foster has scored three goals and contributed five assists in 30 appearances across all competitions this season. Furthermore, the South African ranks as the second-highest assist provider for Burnley this term.
