Sundowns confirm Lorch and Maema departures
Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed the departures of Thembinkosi Lorch and Neo Maema as the squad overhaul at Chloorkop gets underway. Both players had fallen out of favour at the club, with their futures uncertain even before the FIFA Club World Cup.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso has made it clear he intends to trim his squad for the 2025/26 season, despite the club being set to compete in multiple competitions. Lorch is reportedly poised for a return to Wydad Casablanca in Morocco, where he spent the second half of last season on loan.
ALSO READ: Pirates coach admits he's under pressure ahead of Sundowns tie
Meanwhile, Maema has been linked with a move to Kaizer Chiefs after struggling for game time last season in Sundowns' star-studded team. The Brazilians announced the pair's departures on the eve of their MTN8 first-leg semi-final against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium.
'After four incredible years, four league titles, one Nedbank Cup, one MTN8, one African Football League title, 120 appearances, 13 goals and 14 assists, the Yellow Nation bids farewell to Neo Maema. We wish you success in the next step of your career,' Sundowns posted across their social pages.
'After two unforgettable years, one league title, 26 appearances, seven goals and four assists, the Yellow Nation thanks and celebrates Thembinkosi Lorch. Wishing you all the best as you start the next chapter of your journey.'
Although not yet officially confirmed, reports suggest Lorch will make a permanent switch to The Red Castle (Wydad) after impressing during his short stint, which included a strong showing at the Club World Cup.
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨, 𝗡𝗘𝗢 👆💛
After 4️⃣ incredible years, 4️⃣ league titles, 1️⃣ Nedbank Cup, 1️⃣ MTN8, 1️⃣ African Football League title, 1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ appearances, 1️⃣3️⃣ goals and 1️⃣4️⃣ assists, the Yellow Nation bids farewell to Neo Maema. 💛
We wish you success in the next step of your… pic.twitter.com/wYuYdtDyQ1 — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) August 15, 2025
ALSO READ: Too soon to sink the ship: The Sea Robbers must keep faith in Ouaddou
Maema, currently on duty with Bafana Bafana at the CHAN tournament in Uganda, is expected to have his future finalised once the competition concludes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
a minute ago
- The South African
Orlando Pirates news: Sebelebele's rise and Mashiloane's stuggles
Orlando Pirates' new signings have been hit and misses so far this season. The likes of Sipho Mbule, Oswin Appollis and Kamogelo Sebelebe have impressed so far, while the likes of Tshepo Mashiloane have struggled. In the four matches Pirates played, they have won once this season. Against Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final first leg, Sebelebele scored a late goal to secure a draw. 'It was not an easy game, and it was my first time starting,' The Bucs attacker told OP TV. 'So, it wasn't easy, but I pushed. After they [Sundowns] scored, I still didn't give up. I had a feeling we would score and win the game. 'Unfortunately, we didn't win this game, but we will try and push so that we can win the second leg. 'And we couldn't afford to lose this game because it would've meant that we lose two games in succession. 'So, we have to come back and win. This is Orlando Pirates. 'The Orlando Pirates that people know has to make a comeback.' Former TS Galaxy head coach Dan 'Dance' Malesela has weight in on Mashiloane's struggles at Pirates. 'When you embark on a new journey, people will always question everything you do,' Malesela tells KickOff. 'Players improve with game time, and sometimes we are too quick to criticize them without giving them a chance. 'I've said it before: Tshepo's only challenge at Pirates will be dealing with crosses. It's an issue he faced here with us, too. He needs to improve his reading and anticipation of crosses. Other than that, he is a fine player,' he added. 'People should not rush to judge; they need to give others a chance. No one starts a new job knowing everything about the company. We all need time to adapt. 'I also encourage the senior players at Pirates to help guide him on how things are done during games at the club. 'The good news is that struggling to deal with crosses is a challenge that can be trained and coached.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
11 hours ago
- The South African
'There was Nkota, now there's Sebelebele' – Ex-Pirates striker
Former Orlando Pirates striker Phumudzo Manenzhe has explained what makes new signing Kamogelo Sebelebele a good player. The 23-year-old scored his debut goal for the Buccaneers against Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-final match at Orlando Stadium. The speedy player scored a late equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Saturday. Manenzhe feels Sebelebele will be a perfect replacement for Mohau Nkota. 'He is a technically gifted player, you know. But what does he bring? He brings aggression, speed, and also the hunger to ask for the ball from behind,' Manenzhe told SuperSport TV . 'So, that is exactly how Orlando Pirates scored the goal [against Sundowns], with Sebelebele asking for the ball from behind. 'He is an out-and-out right winger. In the previous season, they had Mohau Nkota, who is left-footed, playing on the right, but this time they have an out-and-out right-footer on the right-hand side. When he receives the ball, there is no need to turn back to his stronger foot. 'He faced Ronwen Williams and became resourceful, putting the ball in the back of the net,' Manenzhe said. Sebelebele's performance has made him a fan favourite at Orlando Pirates. His energy, runs and aggression have been praised following his solid showing. Will Sebelebele maintain his form? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
13 hours ago
- IOL News
Cardoso refuses to get carried away after Mamelodi Sundowns' MTN8 draw
Miguel Cardoso will want to maintain calm after a 1-1 draw at Orlando Pirates, confident Mamelodi Sundowns can secure victory in the MTN8 semi-final second leg. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media MIGUEL CARDOSO was understandably not viewing Mamelodi Sundowns' 1-1 MTN8 semi-final first-leg draw at Orlando Pirates as an advantage in the way many coaches might have. In a competition where the away goal carries significant weight, the temptation would be to see the Brazilians as holding the upper hand. It could well have been that the Portuguese coach was stung by the manner in which his team allowed Pirates back into the game late on, with a defensive mistake that saw Kamogelo Sebelele cancel out Teboho Mokoena's headed opener. A clean sheet would have left him more confident ahead of Saturday's second-leg tie at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, though he knows Pirates always have a goal in them. Deep in the bowels of Orlando Stadium, as the thousands who had packed the historic arena made their way home content with the scoreline and entertained by the football on display, Cardoso himself appeared a satisfied man. 'This is a draw and it does not feel like a loss,' Cardoso said in response to a question about conceding so late. 'We would have liked to take the victory home, but if you ask any coach if he could take a 1-1 from here, he'd be okay. We are halfway. We would have loved to take the advantage until the end, but we did not.' He knows the second leg is likely to feature goals and appreciates the significance of scoring away at Pirates' ground. 'Scoring one goal away can make a difference, but just can. It depends on a lot of what's going to happen in the next match. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading "Of course, we know that if we keep Pirates without scoring, we go through. But we know that Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have the capacity to score goals in the second leg. These are two teams that usually score; it is difficult to stay at zero.' For that reason, Cardoso is not approaching the second leg with the aim of merely protecting their slight advantage. 'And if you think about not conceding, for sure you're going to concede. You need to play the next match to win because if you win, you are going to go through. That's the biggest advantage we've got – knowing that if we win the match at home, it is enough. "Of course, it is good that we scored – a slight advantage in that a zero-zero draw would give us an advantage. A 1-1 is not valid, and a 2-2 is against us.' Before welcoming Pirates on Saturday, Cardoso and his players have a short trip up to Polokwane, where Magesi FC await on Wednesday night. The Brazilians' coach insists there is no risk of losing focus on the cup tie. 'Look, every football team must always think first about the next match because every match has an impact on what's going to happen afterwards.' Chances are Magesi will hope Sundowns are rattled, having effectively gifted Pirates a draw when they looked likely to win at Orlando Stadium.
