Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has revealed striker Iqraam Rayners was down with a bout of flu as the Portuguese coach fielded what looked like a second-string side in Sunday’s 1-0 MTN8 semi-final first-leg defeat to Golden Arrows.
The Brazilians suffered the cup game setback at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on an afternoon when Cardoso also did not have another striker, Arthur Sales, available for selection. However, the Portuguese coach had the luxury of starting from the bench Brayan Leon, while throwing into the line-up Lebo Mothiba and Cassius Mailula.
Still with tested strikers at his disposal, Sundowns went on to fire banks against Abafana Bes’thende. To highlight how Cardoso made major changes, none of the players who were in the starting XI against Arrows made the line-up of last season’s two legs of the CAF Champions League final.
It was not only Rayners who was absent, but also injured players including Sales, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, winger Antonio van Wyk and central defender Keanu Cupido.
MIGUEL CARDOSO ON WHAT KEPT IQRAAM RAYNERS AND NTSABELENG OUT
Cardoso also explained why Katlego ‘Tsiki’ Ntsabeleng was not available, along with Rayners, who played only the first two matches of the season.
“If Iqraam is not on the medical report, it’s because the doctor forgot, because yesterday [Saturday] he appeared in the [training] session with flu and he could not be lined up. So, he was not available for the match,” Cardoso revealed.
“Tsiki is in the process of being 100 percent okay. So, he could have been called up. He was not a technical option, but he is already available to be put into play when we decide so.
“What made us not make an option on him was that we felt that he still needs a little bit more training in order to be available. We will always have a few players who will stay out. But it’s a completely different situation from one and the other,” the former Esperance coach went on.
“This line-up did not even have one single player who made the first XI in the final of the CAF Champions League, not even one. It has obviously been difficult to be consistent in finding a line-up, but also, as you may imagine, when you play three or four days, you need to change players.
“What we need is for the players who get opportunities to understand the moment, know what is required, and give their best. That way, we can consistently rotate the squad and get the right results. That is what we are looking for.”
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