Former Kaizer Chiefs striker survives Israel rocket strike

Nigerian striker Ibezito Ogbonna, who played for Kaizer Chiefs for seven months between 2008 and 2009, has escaped serious injury, along with his wife and two daughters, after a rocket fired from Gaza struck their apartment in the Israeli city of Ashod.

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Obgonna, now 38, joined Chiefs in November 2008 but failed to make much of an impact, though he did score twice against Bidvest Wits, and a winner against Mamelodi Sundowns in a handful of appearances for Amakhosi.

He told BBC Sport Africa that he was lucky to be alive after a rocket hit his apartment in Israel. Ogbonna played for Hapoel Tel Aviv between 2003 and 2007, winning two Israeli cups, and relocated to Israel in 2017.

“I am extremely lucky to be alive after this rocket was fired and it’s third time lucky for me after being involved in a car crash and a horrible robbery incident in Nigeria,” Ogbonna told BBC Sport Africa.

“We were all aware of the attempt [possible strike] and we always get the warning signs about possible missiles. We often hear as sirens echoed across the city streets which tends to prompt people to rush to a shelter.

“On this day I was having breakfast and I heard the wailing siren. Normally, we’d run to the shelter because every house has its own shelter. I felt it’s the normal warning, but within seconds it turned out to be an unlucky day for me.

“I heard the loud bang of the rocket and felt the immediate impact, I was thrown into the air and it took me from my dinning room to my living room.

“I could see glasses and other objects flying around me. I hit the ground, I stood up to look around for my family. They were very lucky too, my wife had taken cover with my daughters, I think one of the doors landed on her.

“I could see the whole building was gone. We are talking about a four-storey building with about 30 people. The security doors between my kitchen and living room ripped out and everything totally wrecked.

“Cars were smashed and it was then I realised I had a cut and my knee was hurting badly before the paramedics took me in an ambulance to the hospital.

“I was in the hospital for a few hours. I was treated and had different tests just to check that everything was okay with me. They weren’t sure I was fine considering what had happened.”