Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has provided an injury update on the squad ahead of their second leg CAF Champions League 2nd preliminary round clash against Remo Stars.
Sundowns, who finished runners-up of the competition, coasted to a 5-1 win over NPFL champions in Nigeria last week and are major favourites to advance to their 11th consecutive campaign in the group stages.
With incredible consistency, it speaks to the strength and depth of the playing squad Sundowns have, and mentality to in Africa’s elite club competition.
Ahead of the second leg on Sunday, Cardoso confirmed that Malibongwe Khoza picked up an ankle injury in the first leg, while Iqraam Rayners has returned to team training on Thursday.
“We have some more severe issues like Mothobi Mvala, who had surgery last week,” he stated.
“Even in the locker room after the match we spoke about that and asked – no it was before the match – I asked that we should make a good job and take the spirit of Mothobi inside the pitch. We all did that, we wanted to honor him with a good match.
“He’s the most difficult situation we have in terms of long-term recovery time needed for sure for him to come back.
“And then the other issues we have are smaller issues. We have Zuko [Mdunyelwa] already training normal with the team.
“We have Mali [Khoza] that got a small injury on the on the ankle as you saw, he was substituted, it is not a huge thing. There is nothing broken, we were a little bit afraid that might be some bone question, but there isn’t. So he will come back in proper time.
“Then we have Temba also on his let’s say, recovery process. It’s not something that will be finished in one week but also, we don’t expect it to take long, but we need to be careful. He’s a very important asset, and like everybody, it’s also a question of human being. We need to bring him up in the best conditions for him to be available for us.
“And then there’s the question on Iqraam Rayners. As you know, Rayners came from the national team. Thank God to his biology and physiology, we were able to see that, and to the effort of the doctors and the exams he did, there’s no there’s no issue in terms of cardiac question that will take him out of his career, because in this kind of situation, everybody stays afraid.
“No, thank God, no. It’s a minor thing that you need also to give him some time, he’s now starting to training with the team. So he was two weeks absolutely without training, but he started yesterday and today he trained already integrating in the team, and he made all the training sessions.
“So we should expect Iqraam to now get on his condition and be available again for for the team. And I think that I’m not forgetting anyone.”
Sundowns host Stars on Sunday afternoon as they return to Loftus Versfeld Stadium at 15h00.
