Revealed: Sundowns' reason for dropping Zwane
Mamelodi Sundowns maestro Themba Zwane was apparently meant to start in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Chippa United.
According to coach Miguel Cardoso, the pitch condition at the Buffalo City Municipality Stadium was unsafe for the 35-year-old Sundowns ace.
'Well, yesterday [referring to Tuesday], Chippa United were very kind to allow us to have a small training session here [Buffalo City Stadium,' the Portuguese coach told the media at the post-match conference.
'It's a beautiful stadium, and we had a training session because we travelled early in the morning. We also had the chance to understand that there's a lot of sand on the pitch, which was visible to everybody. So, I decided not to risk Themba [Zwane]. You know Themba is coming back from an Achilles injury, which was quite severe,' the Sundowns mentor added.
'So, it can be very tricky for him to play on a pitch with these kinds of conditions. Such beautiful stadiums, I'm sure they will have a beautiful football ambience.
'It's really important to protect the players in order to avoid injuries, and Themba had a particular situation where he is coming back from injury and is getting better and getting playing minutes. I believe he expected to find a way to play today [referring to Wednesday], for sure, but everybody has to understand that my job is to protect my players,' Cardoso concluded.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in race for U20 AFCON winner!
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are reportedly in a race to sign U2 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Neo Rapoo. Rapoo is currently on the books of SuperSport United which has been his home since his development days. The left-back has grown in leaps and bounds since making his PSL debut for Matsatsantsa three seasons ago. At the time, Rapoo was just 16 years old, and he has become one of the top talents in the South African football. Now, iDiski Times reports that Rapoo is wanted by both Chiefs and Pirates ahead of next season, and that the player is keen. From afar, Pirates appear to have a better chance of snatching the 19-year-old right under the nose of Amakhosi. And that's because Rapoo may fancy his chances of a regular game time at Pirates than at Chiefs following the departure of Paseka Mako and Innocent Maela's retirement. At Chiefs, competition for places could be stiff and unfavorable for Rapoo, especially because Mako is heavily linked with them. There is also Bradley Cross and Happy Mashiane in that left-back position although things could change in the near future. SA under 20 left back Neo Rapoo wanted by both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Image via @SoccerBeat on X 'Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are both keen to sign SuperSport United left-back Neo Rapoo ahead of the new season,' reads part of the report. 'Sources confirmed Rapoo is open to the idea of a move in the domestic league as he looks towards the next step of his career, despite the long-term desire of plying his trade in Europe.' 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.
Daily Maverick
an hour ago
- Daily Maverick
Proteas let a good start slip as they look to skipper Bavuma for a fightback
South Africa 43 for 4 (David Bedingham 8*, Temba Bavuma 3*, Mitchell Starc 2-10) trail Australia 212 (Beau Webster 72, Steve Smith 66, Kagiso Rabada 5-51) by 169 runs. South Africa are in a world of trouble on 43 for four at stumps despite performing superbly to bowl out Australia for 212 on the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's in England. Nine wickets fell for 65 runs in an hour and 50 minutes of mayhem after tea, which included an Australian collapse from 190 for five at tea to 212 all out. The talk pre-match was about the quality of both sides' bowling attacks and on day one, both delivered a clinic. South Africa's best in Kagiso Rabada and to a lesser degree left-arm seamer Marco Jansen led the way for South Africa, while the trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, in particular, offered a stern examination of the Proteas' batting techniques. South Africa has one of the best fast bowlers in Test cricket in Rabada, who led the cleanup of the tail with three wickets in his third spell, to go with two earlier in the day, to take his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was an incredible day of bowling for the big quick. Rabada finished with five wickets for 51 to get his name on the Lord's honours board for a second time. In the process, he went past Allan Donald on the South African all-time wicket-taking standings, moving to 332. Australia, though, have three pace bowlers of a similar quality to Rabada, who provided no let-up from the other end, on a Lord's wicket that was not easy for batting throughout the first day. Conversely, Rabada's support cast on day one was Jansen for short periods and very little else by way of fast-bowling. It was for that reason that Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma elected to bowl after winning the toss, with the cloudy overhead conditions also playing a role. The Proteas will need David Bedingham and skipper Bavuma to dig deep on day two for any chance of a positive result in the WTC final. Catches win matches Rabada started the day exceptionally, dismissing Usman Khawaja (nought off 20) and Cameron Green (four off three) in his fourth over of the day. The first three were maidens. Jansen largely held the pressure from the other end and was eventually rewarded with the wicket of first-time opener Marnus Labuschagne (17 off 56). Jansen claimed a second scalp six overs later when he strangled Travis Head down the leg side. Three of the first four wickets were from exceptional catches behind the wicket. Bedingham held on to Khawaja's edge that flew to his left, Aiden Markram caught Green with a brilliant low grab despite Wiaan Mulder diving across him, and Kyle Verreynne moved quickly and was outstretched when he caught Head. Steve Smith held firm from the other end, seemingly batting on a different surface to everyone else. Australia's star batter hit the ball late and square as he marched to 66 off 112 deliveries. Missed opportunities Beau Webster was at the other end, scratching his way through his innings. Rabada, in his second spell, had the all-rounder dancing, playing and missing nearly every ball. Two overs before lunch, Jansen rapped Smith (26 off 46 at that stage) on the pads. Smith shuffled across his stumps, the delivery angled towards him from around the wicket and thudded into his front pad just above the knee roll with the leg stump visible on impact. Loud appeals were repelled by umpire Chris Gaffaney, but Bavuma, after long consultation, requested a review with a second left on the clock. There were two reds, pitching outside off-stump and hitting in line, but one orange, Hawkeye projecting the delivery to only be clipping the leg stump bail. Had Gaffaney raised his finger, Australia's best batter would have been in the sheds regardless of whether he reviewed the decision. Webster then survived two LBW appeals from Jansen in the same over, after lunch. The second was reviewed. Again, two reds and one orange: impact the deciding factor this time. The umpire's call prevailed again for Australia. An over later, Rabada delivered a vicious in-swinger that struck Webster's front pad and then ricocheted into his back pad — the two noises sounding like impact on the bat. There was a stifled appeal from the South Africans that was rejected, but replays proved that Webster should have been given out; this time three reds, but not reviewed. Webster was on eight at that stage and Australia on 94 for four in the 29th over. The sizeable all-rounder went on to top-score with 72 off 92 deliveries. 'We thought 160 is what we should have had them at,' Rabada said after the match. The part-time off-spin of Markram eventually broke the 79-run stand by Smith and Webster after a terrific juggling catch at slip by Jansen off a ball that whistled off the edge. Batting calamity South Africa batted for 107 minutes, facing 22 overs. In that time, they scored only 43 runs and lost four wickets in that period of mayhem. Markram (nought off six) was worked over in the first over by Starc, who had the Dukes ball swinging around corners from the outset. Mulder (six off 44) looked like he could have been out on every delivery he faced in a painful period of batting against a relentless Aussie pace attack. The No 3 was eventually cleaned up by Cummins off a straight delivery on a good length that he tried to drive. Ryan Rickelton (16 off 23) looked the most comfortable South African batter at the crease, striking three boundaries, but he was lured into playing a cover drive off a looping Starc outswinger, which caught the edge of his blade and was pouched by Khawaja at slip. Tristan Stubbs was the fourth Protea batter dismissed in the session, by the best delivery of the lot, beaten between bat and pad by a Cummins ball that nipped towards him and kissed the bails. Skipper Bavuma (three off 37) spent the session absorbing pressure while Bedingham (eight off nine) had been at the crease for less than two overs when play was called off for the first day of enthralling action. DM
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Sundowns without 12 stars for FIFA Club World Cup
Mamelodi Sundowns have left behind 12 of their stars for the FIFA Club World Cup which gets underway on Friday. The Brazilians, known for their big squad, did not have space for the entire team, and had to make some tough decisions. They touched down the US on Tuesday, and the 26-man squad had their first training session on Wednesday. Sundowns will get the ball rolling on Wednesday, 18 June against South Korean outfit Ulsan. Kick-off is at 00:00 SA time. And the Tshwane giants will face German giants Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, 21 June at 18:00 SA time. Sundowns' final Group F match will be against Brazil's Fluminense on Wednesday, 25 June. Kick-off is at 21:00 SA time. Mamelodi Sundowns feature in a special video in the iconic Times Square. Image: Supplied Jody February Sanele Tshabalala Asekho Tiwani (injured) Thapelo Maseko Terrence Mashego Matias Esquivel Lucas Suarez Kobamelo Kodisang Kegan Johannes Zuko Mdunyelwa Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi Siyanda Nyanga 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.
