Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has revealed that midfielder Teboho Mokoena played the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates while going through an injury pain.
Mokoena, 29, scored the opener while Iqraam Rayners converted a penalty in the 2-0 victory as Sundowns dethroned Pirates as Wafa Wafa champions in Durban over the weekend.
Mokoena had just returned from international duty with Bafana Bafana where he and fellow club teammates Aubrey Modiba and Bathusi Aubass picked up injuries.
‘Tebza’ featured in the 2027 AFCON qualifier against Guinea and sat out the qualifier against Eritrea and international friendly against Egypt. Outside of the injury, the player revealed that he had lost his grandfather while his brother is currently recovery in hospital after suffering multiple stabbing wounds.
Cardoso applauded Mokoena’s big heart to suffer for his club.
“But Teboho he was different because he had a small distinction of his ligament, collateral ligament,” said Cardoso.
“And it’s from his first treatments and following treatments and his capacity to suffer that he could play because he’s not pain-free. So, he had to play with support in the pain.
“Obviously, that we knew that he had not trained recently, and I think it was clear how he started the match, him and Aubrey were quite difficult to pick the pace.
“But they are high-profile players and he gave his best, and I think he finished the game very tired, but giving the best to the team.
“So, I’m a very happy coach to have players with that character, of course.”