MIDFIELDER Bill Antonio will miss the Warriors’ back to back World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa in June after picking an injury over the weekend which effectively ruled him out of action for the rest of the season.
The 21-year-old who plays for Belgium league side Mechelen was substituted 37 minutes into his team’s 2-3 win away at Cercle Brugge on Saturday.
The club announced yesterday that scans had revealed that Antonio tore his anterior cruciate ligament and will need six to nine months to fully recover.
“The verdict is heavy,” Mechelen wrote on their social media pages. “Antonio tore his anterior cruciate ligament on the pitch of Cercle Brugge and will not play again this season. He faces a rehabilitation period of six to nine months. Good luck and a speedy recovery, Bill”
The injury setback comes as Antonio was beginning to enjoy his time at the club following his promotion to the senior team two months ago.
The former Dynamos star joined Mechelen two years ago, but spent the whole of last season playing for the club's developmental side, where he impressed to earn himself a place in the first team.
He instantly became a hit in the main squad, starting in all the team's last nine matches, scoring three crucial goals in the process.
He has been rewarded for his good performance with a new three-year contract signed a fortnight ago. The deal, according to Mechelen, has an option for an extra year.
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Antonio’s injury will be a huge blow for the Warriors who resume their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in June. Zimbabwe host Lesotho on the first week of June before traveling to South Africa the following week.
Antonio, who has one senior national team cap, was expected to form part of the Warriors squad for the two qualifiers. Zimbabwe currently occupies fifth position in a six team Group C group with two points from two matches.
Rwanda leads the group with four points, followed by South Africa on three, while Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lesotho are tied on two each.
Benin anchor the standings with one point.
The winner of the group will directly qualify to the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
