Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has provided an injury update on key duo Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena ahead of their highly anticipated CAF Super Cup showdown on Sunday.
The Chloorkop-based side will battle Algerian side USM Alger in the 2026 CAF Super Cup at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. The kick-off is at 15:00.
Masandawana secured their spot in the Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals after defeating Golden Arrows 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday night, but they did so without the influential pair.
Mokoena missed his fourth consecutive match for the Brazilians due to a recurring knee ligament issue initially suffered while on international duty with Bafana Bafana.
Meanwhile, Sundowns’ first-choice goalkeeper Williams sat out his third straight game as a precaution following a knock in training.
MIGUEL CARDOSO UNCERTAIN ON TEBOHO MOKOENA’S RETURN TIMELINE
In his post-match interview after the Carling game against Arrows, Cardoso emphasised that the club will prioritise player welfare over rushing core figures back onto the pitch, particularly Mokoena.
“Look, we cannot risk the health of a player. Our role here is to protect the players and the health of the players,” said Cardoso.
“Let’s see how things will progress. Obviously, we would like to have them ready for the biggest matches. I think that we have, obviously, in the team players who are doing well in those positions, whom we trust. We had a big setback with Teboho, as you understood publicly. He didn’t come in, not even close to being in good condition, when he returned from the national team; he came back injured.
“It was very important that we could play him in that final of the MTN8 [against Orlando Pirates last month]. But then there was an unfortunate moment when he was standing on one leg. He had contact, and of course there was a small thing there on the leg, but it’s the second time—same leg, same thing.
“Let’s see. A lot of work has been done on him. You saw him smiling today [Tuesday night] with the team and dancing there on the pitch. I think his mood is okay. His capacity to play, because there’s a long process there, let’s see how he can come back or when, mostly, he can come back.”
UPDATE ON RONWEN WILLIAMS
Addressing Williams’ status ahead of the continental fixture, Cardoso was more optimistic, describing the goalkeeper’s absence as a manageable situation rather than a long-term setback.
“‘Roza’ is a similar process, so it’s not a big injury; it’s more a pathology. He has also been struggling, and we are doing our best to have him in proper condition,” Cardoso explained.
“We need to protect these players, so I think that with a little bit of time everything will be okay.”
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