Themba Zwane edging to closer to Sundowns return

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardso has offered a key injury update to senior players Mothobi Mvala, Lebo Mothiba and club captain Themba Zwane who are all making their way back from the treatment table following time on the sidelines.

Zwane injury

Zwane suffered an Achilles injury while playing for Bafana Bafan against Congo Brazzaville in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in October last year. The Sundowns veteran midfielder is edging closer to full recovery, and has started training with the team.

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Mvala is another long-term absentee for the Brazilians as well as Rivaldo Coetzee and youngster Siyabonga Mabena. New signing, Mothiba, who has been out of action for nearly a year after parting way with French Club Strasbourg is also being nursed back to full fitness

“Themba is almost there but still not in a condition to participate in this match and eventually not in a second one as well as Mothobi and Mothiba but we feel that they are quite close. We are now in the moment where they have already trained 100% with the group with the exception of Mothiba and Rivaldo and young Mabena,” Cardoso said ahead of the quarter-final CAF Champions League match against Esperance.

“Mothobi and Themba are training normally with the group. Now, we are going to prepare to give them stimulation of the game but not in an official match. During this time where we are going to play Esperance, there are two competition moments where they will be subjected to. Tomorrow there will be a moment in a full pitch with some players from the Diski team. When we fly to Tunisia, there will be a friendly match where they are going to play a team that we will invite to play against us.

Sundowns’ Cardoso – ‘We need to be careful’

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“We understand that the process of bringing these players back is not only about bringing them back in the training sessions, but also bringing them back on the level which they can perform because we cannot expose a player like Themba and Mothobi to a game where they are not capable of performing to the level of players they are. We need to be careful but they are doing well, moving forward, and they are almost there.”