Young Africans (Yanga SC) coach Luc Eymael has called on Kenyan goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo to be patient as he strives to make the starting XI.

The former Bandari custodian is yet to start a game in the Mainland Premier League since the top-flight restarted on June 13, with the Belgian coach preferring Metacha Mnata in that position.

The Belgian tactician has now urged the Harambee Stars keeper to keep fighting hard in training and wait for his chance, saying he does not have any bad feelings towards the player.

“If you watched our game against Azam FC, my keeper Metacha [Mnata] played very well, and he as always been fantastic in the position, so Shikalo must wait for his time,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

« I told him last week he has to wait for his chance and when the chance comes, he has to take it with both hands, it is that simple,

“I like him [Shikalo], he is working very hard during training sessions but how can you change your goalkeeper, when he is doing very well?

“[Mnata] has shown how good he is and for a coach, you don’t change a top player just because you have another one on the bench, but always keep him in your squad.

« I am not against Shikalo playing, he is a good keeper too but must wait for his time, I know his time will come.”

Since joining the Jangwani Street-based giants, Shikalo has remained an understudy to Mnata and has rarely started in league matches.

Meanwhile, Eymael has confirmed captain Papy Tshishimbi will miss their next league match against Ndanda FC owing to injury.

The towering defender has already missed the first three matches since the top-flight restarted on June 13 after President John Pombe Magufuli gave the green light for all sporting activities to resume in the country.

Tshishimbi missed the 1-0 win against Mwadui FC in Shinyanga, the 1-1 draw against JKT Tanzania in Dodoma, and their 0-0 result against Azam FC at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

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“[Tshishimbi] will miss the next two matches because he is yet to recover fully from injury,” Eymael told Goal on Monday.

“We don’t want to rush him, we want him to heal properly to avoid him coming back to action and then returning to the treatment table, our doctors are monitoring his situation very closely and from what I have been told, he will be out for the next two matches.”

After the 0-0 draw against Azam FC at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, Yanga will remain third with 56 points as the ‘Ice Cream Makers’ maintain the second spot, with 58 points, after 30 matches.