Wellington Phoenix Striker Sabitra Bhandari Faces Long Recovery

The Wellington Phoenix women’s team has suffered a significant blow with the announcement that striker Sabitra Bhandari, widely known as Samba, will miss the remainder of the A-League season due to a severe knee injury. Bhandari is the third player on the team to be sidelined with a season-ending injury, following midfielders Tessel Middag and Alyssa Whinham.

An MRI scan revealed that Bhandari has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft in her right knee. The injury occurred late in the second half of the round 11 match against Brisbane Roar on March 3, 2024, and she is expected to be out for approximately nine to twelve months.

Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman expressed his disappointment over the situation. “I know the team are absolutely devastated for her and I was devastated in helping deliver that news,” he said. “First and foremost, we recruited an unbelievable human. Samba’s probably the most popular player in the team. The team love her and adore her, so whenever you get a season-ending injury, the first place you go as a human being is the person.”

Bhandari’s strong character has shone through in this challenging time. Priestman noted, “I feel gutted for her, but I’ve seen the hunger in her eyes. We’ve got her for two seasons and she’s like, ‘get me back as quick as I can get back.'”

The team now faces the challenge of replacing Bhandari for the remainder of the season. The club is restricted to signing free agents, as the A-League registration window has closed. In response to the injuries, the Phoenix recently announced the signing of American forward Makala Woods to fill the gap left by Middag.

As the team prepares for their next match, Priestman emphasized the importance of unity and resilience. “Sometimes these things are thrown at you to test you and test the character of the group,” he stated. “Last time we were thrown this before Melbourne Victory, and I’m hoping that the group really step up and they’ll want to get a result and a performance for Samba.”

The Wellington Phoenix now look to rally together as they navigate the challenges ahead, aiming to maintain their competitive spirit in the face of adversity.