Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has provided an injury update on his two key players, Teboho Mokoena and Ronwen Williams, as the Brazilians face the do-or-die CAF Champions League second preliminary round, second-leg tie against Wiliete SC in Tshwane on Friday.
Masandawana drew 0-0 with the Angolan side in the first leg in Lubango on Sunday. That places the reigning African champions in a tight spot, as a scoring draw on Friday will send Wiliete to the group stage.
Cardoso and his men will be out for a regulation or extra-time victory, while avoiding a goalless draw that will take the contest to a penalty shootout. The prospect of the defending champions failing to reach the group stage is something the Masandawana camp would not want to imagine, worse as they play in their own backyard on Friday.
However, as Cardoso needs his top performers, there are injury concerns over key players Mokoena and goalkeeper Williams. Even with Sundowns boasting depth and quality in their squad, Wiliete pose a potential upset.
WILL MOKOENA AND WILLIAMS RETURN FOR WILIETE? MIGUEL CARDOSO PROVIDES UPDATE
Mokoena started against Wiliete but was substituted in the first half, while Williams did not play after getting injured during training and was replaced by Ricardo Goss.
“Obviously, the maturity of Ronwen Williams and the maturity of Teboho Mokoena are important to sustain the team. This team also have several young players,” Cardoso told the Sundowns media team after Sunday’s match.
“At the start of the campaign, after being champions, there will always be stress to represent the team in the best way. We felt that here and there, there was a little bit of stress.
“We were a little bit not afraid of conceding, but to deal with those counterattacks. But on Teboho, it’s a little bit of a touch on that ligament that was hurt [when he was] with the national team.
“At the moment we don’t know the extent of the injury, but he could not continue with the match. Let’s hope it’s not a big thing and he can recover for the next match. Tomorrow [Monday], he will be submitted to exams.
“Ronwen should not be a big thing. He had a small contact during the training session and had some pain. It was important to keep him safe from something that would be more aggressive or put him in danger in the future. But we expect to recover him promptly.”
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