Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: Mokoena injury update, ‘I was looking at them as big monster,’ & more…

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Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: Mokoena injury update, ‘I was looking at them as big monster,’ & more…

The latest Mamelodi Sundowns news in the last 24 hours including Miguel Cardoso recalling his meeting with Masandawana, latest on Teboho Mokoena, and more.

Sundowns latest news as they break

I was looking at Sundowns as a big monster

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has revealed his perspective about The Brazilians when he faced them while managing former club Esperance de Tunis.

Sundowns find themselves in a precarious position after they were held to a goalless draw by Wiliete in the CAF Champions League, second round, first-leg away in Angola on Sunday and as the defending champions, are facing the pressure of a must-win game in the second-leg on Friday evening at Loftus Versfeld Stadium

“It is absolutely the same as it was before, Sundowns was a big team before winning the CAF Champions League for the second time, the previous (2024/25) season we played the final, the previous two seasons the semi-finals,” Cardoso said in a presser.

“I remember when I came to play against Mamelodi Sundowns, I was looking at Sundowns as a big monster, big, big team, so nothing changes, just put a star that should change nothing.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso.

“The question here is not how the others see us, the question is how we stick, stay humble, to understand how we have to fight in this competition and in all competitions, that is what is important, it is how we see ourselves. How you want to show yourself.

“How you want to be, who you want to be, how much you are willing to give. I don’t want to show you the words we wrote there on the board but this Champions League had a lot to do, not just with the expression of quality but a lot to with commitment, compromise and fighting,” the former Esperance mentor added.

Latest on Mokoena injury

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena appears certain to get back in action ‘very quickly’ following the recurrence of his niggling injury.

Mokoena initially picked up an injury while on Bafana Bafana duty during the last FIFA calendar dates. Though he then played in two games for Sundowns the issue resurfaced again away in Angola during the first leg of the club’s second qualifying round match against Wiliete Sport Clube de Benguela.

The Brazilians already had Ronwen Williams and Aubrey Modiba being forced by injuries for the same match joining Khuliso Modiba, Grant Kekana, and Keanu Cupido in the list of those that have also needed medical attention in recent weeks.

Cardoso confirmed that Mokoena’s latest setback is a recurrence of the injury he picked up while on national team duty, but offered reassurance that the problem is not serious — though he stopped short of confirming whether the midfielder would feature in Friday’s return leg.

“The injury of Teboho is not a new one, it is the same. It means that Teboho had a situation in the national team as we know and he had a contact on one leg, he was standing on one leg the moment the player came and there was no intention to hurt him but it happened,” Cardoso stated.

Kamogelo Sebelebele and Teboho Mokoena
Kamogelo Sebelebele and Teboho Mokoena of Mamelodi Sundowns in MTN8 final, Image: Orlando Pirates

“He had a stretch on the inside ligament. It is good that it is not a big thing so it will be overcome very quickly. Regarding him playing, if I play Thapelo, if I play Zuko, if I play Thabang, if I play Khuliso, they are all different people so they will express differently.

”The question here is we understand that everybody brings his best on the pitch when they play. Teboho is a quality player, but we have a lot of quality players in that position to play and make a good game if he will not be available.

”We respect everybody in this group,” Cardoso further explained.

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Willis Sob

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Willis Sob is a sports betting expert and journalist covering Nigeria and South Africa, with 16 years of experience. With a background in journalism, reporting and programme production, he specialises in football odds, and his work has appeared on OK Africa and GOAL, as well as TV, radio and podcasts.

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