Cardoso on Zwane’s Recovery: Will Sundowns Star Be Ready for AFCON?

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has offered a cautiously optimistic timeline regarding the return of captain Themba Zwane, suggesting the veteran star will likely beat the injury layoff and be available for the upcoming AFCON tournament.

Zwane, the 36-year-old attacking midfielder and lynchpin for both Sundowns and the Bafana Bafana national team, has been battling fitness issues that initially appeared serious. 

Cardoso previously stated that the influential player would be out for over a month. However, the latest update confirms Zwane’s resilience.

“I think yes he can [recover before AFCON],” Cardoso told reporters, a welcome admission that offers hope to the millions of South African fans anticipating his presence at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco later this year. 

The coach elaborated that Zwane is showing “development much more than we expected,” highlighting that the injury “was not a big thing, let’s say.” 

He even commended the player, noting, “Even for a big of his age, he is recovering very well. So, we have beautiful expectations regarding him.”

Despite the positive news, Cardoso’s primary concern remains the player’s long-term well-being and his crucial role for the club. He made it explicitly clear that they will not rush the recovery process, especially given Zwane’s history.

SUNDOWNS WITH CAUTIOUS APPROACH

“Of course, we’re going to be cautious, we need to be cautious, not thinking about the national team but thinking about us and about him as well,” Cardoso stressed. 

His commitment to protecting his captain is clear: “We will do it with precaution in order to not damage him again. We did it also last time, but if we were cautious, now we have to be extra cautious because he deserves and most of all, we need him.”

Zwane’s presence is indispensable to Hugo Broos’s Bafana Bafana, where he functions as the main playmaker in the system, and to Sundowns, where he drives their domestic dominance and continental ambitions.