Will Sundowns Stalwarts Shine on Sunday Super Cup?
It remains uncertain whether Teboho Mokoena and Ronwen Williams will be in good-shape for Sunday’s FIFA Super cup match, with Cardoso stressing that neither player will be scrambled back before they are fully recuperated. Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso further went in detail to provide an update on the fitness level of Mokoena and Williams, following his side’s narrow 1-0 victory over Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout quarter-finals on Tuesday evening.
The two sides showed a great disciplined midfield battle that saw Bathusi Aubaas receiving the only cautionary card from the hosts, while Sabelo Sithole and Khulekani Shezi were also booked for Arrows.
The decisive moment came after the hour mark, when Antonio van Wyk’s delivery found Iqraam Rayners’ header to lick the net, on the 66th minute. Masandawana are the only team to have solidified their place in the semi finals of Carling Knockout Cup.
Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena are a crucial integral of the team, making their absence noticeable. Williams was diagnosed with a mild precautionary absence rather than a long-term layoff, while Mokoena suffered a medial ligament stretch on his kneee at the time he was on international duty with Bafana Bafana, and later aggravated the same area during the CAF Champions League match against Williete SC.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso insisted that he will not jeopardise, nor take any chances with either player’s condition. “We cannot risk the health of a player, and that is our role here is to protect the players and the health of the players,” he said.
The Portuguese tactician shared an update on Mokoena rehabilitation progress. “A lot of work has been done on him. Let's see, because there is a long process there, and let us see how he can come back or when, he can come back, of course. That is a worry that we have because we need to protect him,” said Cardoso.
He added that William’s recovery is being handled in much the same way. “Ronza is a similar process, so it's not a big injury; it's more a pathology. He also has been struggling, and we are making our best to have him in proper conditions, because we need to protect these players,” he said.
“So I think that with a little bit of time, everything will be okay,” added Cardoso.
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