Hamburger SV forward Patson Daka will be sidelined for several weeks. The striker suffered a muscle fibre tear in his left thigh while on international duty with Zambia, the club confirmed on Friday.
HSV stated Daka is expected to be out for "the coming weeks". The injury was diagnosed via an MRI scan following his return from Africa. This absence comes at a difficult time for the Bundesliga side, who are 16th in the table with just three points from their first four matches.
Head coach Steffen Baumgart must now find a solution up front for the away fixture against 1899 Hoffenheim on October 10th. The team's last two competitive wins, against 1. FC Köln in the league and most recently against FC Copenhagen in Europe, were secured by other attackers. Nicolás Capaldo and Yussuf Poulsen scored in the Köln victory, while Kwadwo Amoako and Noah Remberg netted in the 2-0 win over Copenhagen. These players are among the internal options to fill Daka's spot in the starting lineup. A full overview of the squad's attacking options is available on the club's squad page.
Losing Daka is a setback for a team that had just built some momentum with back-to-back victories. The next challenge against Hoffenheim, who currently sit 14th, represents a key match in the battle for improved league positions. The trip to Sinsheim on Saturday, October 10th, is HSV's next opportunity to climb away from the relegation zone.
First reported at sports.yahoo.com
