Latest news with #Zwane
IOL News
an hour ago
- Sport
- IOL News
From hero to spectator: Themba Zwane's silent night in CAF final defeat signals a changing of the guard
End of the road from Mshishi? Mamelodi Sundowns talisman Themba Zwane, seen here during the first leg of the Champions League final, was an unused substitute in Sunday's second leg, won by Egyptian side Pyramids FC. Photo: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Image: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix South Africans and Mamelodi Sundowns supporters watched helplessly on Sunday as the mighty Tshwane giants fell at the final hurdle in their bid to win a second CAF Champions League crown. Egyptian side Pyramids dominated the South African champions and lifted the continental crown for the very first time in their history. Also watching helplessly was talisman Themba Zwane, who was an unused substitute throughout the match. In years gone by, coaches at Sundowns have always relied on the veteran to conjure something up and get the club out of jail, so everyone was perplexed as to why he was not called upon as the Brazilians struggled to get back into the game. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. 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 When asked why Zwane was not brought on, Miguel Cardoso's answer hinted at how he sees the player. 'I totally understand what kind of answer you want or you're looking for, but it's not time to speak about individual performances of players,' the Portuguese said. 'This group is very qualified, with a lot of quality players, and obviously Themba is one of them.' That reaction speaks volumes — Zwane's days as the key player at Sundowns are clearly numbered. Throughout the season, the club have had to do without him anyway, as he spent months on the treatment table. In that time, others have stepped up to fill the void. One of those is Jayden Adams, signed from Stellenbosch FC in January and tasked with replacing Zwane. Adams impressed but didn't completely fill Zwane's massive boots. But with Zwane turning 36 in two months, it seems like the writing's on the wall, and he will now play a bit-part role at the club. He signed a new contract until the end of the 2025/26 season in April, but will now be looking back and thinking if that may have been a rash decision. South Africans will now be watching to see how much of a role Mshishi plays at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, kicking off in two weeks. If he continues to play off the bench, then it will be clear that Cardoso no longer sees him as an important player. Whatever happens next, Zwane's legacy at Sundowns is already secure. He has been at the heart of the club's most successful era, inspiring a generation with his elegance, intelligence, and clutch performances in the biggest moments. Whether he fades quietly into a supporting role or finds one last chapter of brilliance, his contribution to South African football will not be forgotten. For now, the question is not whether Mshishi still has magic in his boots — but whether he'll be given the stage to show it one last time. Maybe it's time he picked up that call from Kaizer Motaung Jr. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to iolletters@ Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).
The Citizen
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
OPINION: Cardoso's Themba Zwane snub was nonsensical
Finals are decided by the finest of margins and Zwane could have been the difference maker. Themba Zwane of Mamelodi Sundowns during the CAF Champions League 2024/25 Final 1st Leg match against Pyramids FC at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, on 24 May 2025 ©Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Miguel Cardoso is suffering from the same Themba Zwane dilemma that Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos initially faced when he arrived in South Africa. Just like Broos, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Cardoso is learning the hard way. It's difficult to justify benching Zwane in both legs of the CAF Champions League final against Pyramids FC. Zwane the difference maker That wasn't a smart move. In fact, it's quite the opposite, it was nonsensical. Finals are decided by the finest of margins and Zwane could have been the difference maker, especially in the first leg, where protecting the 1–0 lead would have put Sundowns in pole position. ALSO READ: Sundowns' Cardoso reacts to defeat and Zwane non-selection The veteran midfielder was left idling on the bench for a full 180 minutes despite the Brazilians lacking control against the Egyptians, who edged the tie 3-2 on aggregate. They were short of creativity, leadership, and vision while one of the greatest players in the club's history watched on from the sidelines. Sundowns struggled to string together meaningful passes in attack and it was plain to see that the game was lost from the bench. The technical team missed a golden chance to rewrite Sundowns' history with a second continental crown. It was the same mistake Broos made when he initially overlooked the 2016 Champions League winner. That's all in the past now as Broos recognised that Zwane is a generational talent. Without Zwane, Bafana wouldn't have picked up a bronze medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire. Cardoso's refusal to explain why the evergreen midfielder was an unused substitute is also baffling and only adds fuel to the fire. Cardoso must grasp what Zwane means to the Masandawana faithful. Imagine the Portuguese national team losing a big match while Cristiano Ronaldo is on the bench, it would dominate headlines. Short-sighted That's what happens when generational talents are treated like squad players. There's a reason why Ronaldo's name is global and his celebration is iconic. When it comes to Sundowns, Zwane is that figure, even his own teammates are in awe of him. ALSO READ: Bafana's Broos praises Pirates youngster ahead of friendly fire We have seen them copy his celebration while he was sidelined through injury. His mere presence would have given Sundowns the fight and belief that Cardoso said was missing. It's short-sighted to go to war without your captain and that's exactly what Cardoso did in Tshwane and Cairo, and the ship sank.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Afro Geek festival brings gaming, tech and arts to Soweto youth
To close off African Month, Afro Geek hosted its second festival in partnership with Vumatel at Jabulani Safe Hub, Soweto, on May 24. The vibrant festival brings together cosplay, gaming, comic books, animation and tech through a proudly African lens. Afro Geek is a community and a hub r talent within the African space. This includes STEM, science, technology, engineering, arts, gaming, and mathematics. It was started to bring geek culture into the local communities so that they are also exposed to things such as gaming and robotics. ALSO READ: Noordheuwel triumphs in thrilling 21–20 victory over Jeppe at KES Easter Festival Creative Director and co-founder of Afro Geek Thapelo Zwane shared that as a Geek from Soweto, he saw it fit to bring that culture to his hometown and expose the community to things such as the arts and gaming. ''We do see that people from our communities are interested and like things such as gaming and comics and everything that is exhibited here, and we decided that instead of travelling to your upper-class locations, let us bring that to our local communities. 'One of our main goals is to expose children from different schools, so we invited some learners to showcase to them,'' said Zwane. The festival had stalls that showcased different products, ranging from artists with their vibrant paintings to edtech stands that dealt with robotics, gaming, and designers. Marketing CSI coordinator of Vumatel, Thandazile Mkhize shared that Afro Geek shared their concept with them and thought that it was something that they would want to venture into as they are for supporting for the community. ALSO READ: St John's U16s closes festival with a win of 42–26 over Northcliff She added that they assist with connection and hope their contribution makes a difference. Zinhle Mfaba, an artist showcasing her art at the festival, said, ''I believe that the festival is a great way to showcase talent, especially local talent. 'We are not exposed to such and I believe that this is a great initiative that will make a huge difference and give us better opportunities.'' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
5 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs (EXITS): R9-million fan-favourite
Kaizer Chiefs will look very different at the end of the up-and-coming PSL transfer window. Kaizer Chiefs are going to be trimming their squad. Meaning, several Amakhosi stars will leaving the club. Some players are linked with temporary exits (loans). Whilst, other Chiefs stars will be sold – permanently. The latest star linked with a departure is a fan-favourite. Samkelo Zwane is the latest Chiefs player facing a likely exit. According to SNL, Zwane could be loaned out for a season. Meaning, the talented young midfielder could be playing for another club in the PSL next season. This is because Amakhosi management still see a future for Zwane at the club. However, he is not a regular in the Chiefs midfield. So, a loan move will allow him to play more frequently. Meanwhile, he will grow and mature as a player while still belonging to Amakhosi. Therefore, the plan is to let him develope. So, he can return a stronger and better player. A total of over R10-million worth of Chiefs attackers are linked with likely exits. Ultimately, Ranga Chivaviro will likely be sold. Meanwhile, Tashreeq Morris is linked with a loan exit out of Naturena. Both players are in the same boat – they lack playing time and have failed to impress Nasreddine Nabi and Amakhosi management. Chivaviro has fallen out of favour with Nabi and Chiefs. Whilst, Morris scored a meager 2 goals across 20 appearances in all competitions since joining the Soweto giants from SuperSport United. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that these attackers are linked with exits. 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
7 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Arthur Zwane says Orlando Pirates are a one-man team
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has singled out an Orlando Pirates player for special praise. Is it who you think it is, though? Arthur Zwane feels Orlando Pirates have relied heavily on the precious talents of 20-year-old Relebohile Mofokeng. 'I don't want to sound controversial. However, I think you look at Rele – I think he carried Orlando Pirates,' Zwane said via iDiski Times . 'But Rele as a youngster doing what he's done this past season, carrying a giant on his shoulder, I think it was something else, it was amazing. 'We need players like him, so others see him performing at this level. And now he's definitely going to go to the World Cup – I don't want people to say I'm picking him; I'm not the national coach. But looking at how coach Broos does, and he integrated into the senior national team,' Zwane added on the Orlando Pirates attacker. 'For him, it was a big jump because he never played for the U20, maybe the previous players, but because he's an exceptional talent. There is no doubt about he's gonna make AFCON and the World Cup. 'Also, the coaches must get some credit. All those coaches from the School of Excellence, Orlando Pirates, Jose [Riveiro], Duku Duku Makhanya. They spotted the talent and made life easy for the first team as well to get players promoted,' Zwane added. Orlando Pirates Relebohile Mofokeng vs Richards Bay in the Nedbank Cup Image via @OrlandoPirates on X Do you agree with Zwane's sentiments? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
