Mamelodi Sundowns coach Mngqithi issues update on Zwane injury

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has estimated Themba Zwane will be out between a week and 10 days following a hamstring injury sustained during Wednesday’s Premier Soccer League game against Maritzburg United at Loftus Versfeld.

Zwane was involved in the match for just 12 minutes into the contest before being replaced by Promise Mkhuma and Sundowns went on to win 2-0 but there were concerns in the way the midfielder injured himself in an off-the-ball situation and was heavily limping.

Masandawana coaches were also forced to substitute Sphelele Mkhulise just after the hour mark due to injury and Mothobi Mvala came on for him.

With Sundowns facing Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League quarter-finals, first leg away on May 14, it is not yet clear if the two will make it for that match. 

“According to the doctors Zwane’s injury never looked like a grade two. They are hopeful that maybe in a week or 10 days he might be back,” Mngqithi told SuperSport TV.

“Mkhulise’s one we don’t think it is something very heavy. We are hopeful that he will come back. It is just that it is a very difficult muscle to know what is going to happen. But we are hopeful that they will be able to come back. We also took them out early to make sure that we don’t exacerbate the injuries.”

Sundowns' victory saw them opening a four-point gap at the top of the table with five league matches remaining and they have played a game less than second-placed AmaZulu.

Mngqithi was, however, not entirely pleased by the way his charges expressed themselves. 

“Not the best [performance] but businesslike, we wanted to win the match. We had to give ourselves to the team and everybody ran because when you play against a complicated team like Maritzburg, they are not an easy team for anyone,” said Mngqithi. 

“I always tell people that Ernst is one of the top coaches. He may have been unlucky but his strategies can put you off at times. So we knew it was not going to be an easy one and we had to take the few chances that we got. 

“We were then fortunate to get a penalty. It’s always good for the team and the second goal I think Gift took it very well. We have always known he is one of the best finishers in the country. I even told him before the match that today is his day to score.

“When he scored he immediately pointed at me because he knew I had told him that today is his day and I was happy for that.”

Recently, Sundowns went for four consecutive matches without recording victory, a run which threatened their title defence and helped AmaZulu edge closer to them.

But they have bounced back to winning ways after beating Orlando Pirates 3-0 last Sunday.

“This is one cycle [in which] we looked like we were not going to do well,” Mngqithi said.

“I think we had five points after flour matches, it did not look very good. We wanted to make sure that in our process we at least got to eight and we managed that because our focus is on that side of our cycle to make sure that we achieve the targets that we set for ourselves.”