As Sekhukhune United gears up for the new season with two new international goalkeepers on board, veteran defender Daniel Cardoso has shared his thoughts on the impending battle for the number one spot.
Babina Noko are making significant moves to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season. The Limpopo-based club recently announced the arrival of two new international goalkeepers: Manuel Sapunga from Equatorial Guinea and Toaster Nsabata from Zambia.
Sapunga joins Sekhukhune from Polokwane City FC, while Nsabata arrives from Zambian club ZESCO United. They’re stepping in to fill the void left by departed international shot-stoppers Ali Badra Sangare [Ivory Coast] and Loydt Kazapua [Namibia].
Sangare was a more regular feature last season with 23 appearances across all competitions, while Kazapua featured in five games.
With these new additions, the battle for the number one jersey promises to be intense. The competition will now be between Bafana Bafana international Renaldo Leaner, Manuel Sapunga, Toaster Nsabata, and Tokollo Makgolane, presenting coach Eric Tinkler with a healthy selection dilemma.
‘THE COMPETITION IS TOUGHER,’ SAYS DANIEL CARDOSO
Cardoso describes the competition within Sekhukhune United’s goalkeeping department as “tough.” He believes that for any shot-stopper to earn a starting spot, they’ll need to step up and put in extra effort.
“You know, the competition is tougher. Even last season was tough because we had Ali Badra Sangare, who is an Ivory Coast international,” Cardoso told FARPost.
“Now, Renaldo Leaner is going into the national team set-up and getting a taste of it. So, he will have to step up and work harder, knowing that we made two other signings who are international goalkeepers.
“We also had Loydt Kazapua, who was with Namibia. So, our goalkeeping department is very competitive, and I guess whoever wants to play and wants it the most will get that position.”
Sekhukhune will kick off the new season with an MTN8 quarter-final match against TS Galaxy on Saturday, July 2, at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. The game will begin at 18:00.
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