Cardoso confident injury-hit Zwane will make full recovery

With fitness issues seeming to plague Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane as he suffered another injury at the weekend, coach Miguel Cardoso says the veteran will fully recover from the latest setback.

A visibly emotional Zwane walked off the pitch after just 20 minutes of being introduced from the bench in Downs’ 3-0 Premier Soccer League win over Magesi FC  on Sunday.

It was his first match back since returning from a thigh injury, which he sustained against Orlando Pirates in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinals in August. Zwane replaced Tashreeq Matthews in the 64th minute against Magesi, but did not last long before he limped off the pitch.

The 35-year-old Bafana Bafana veteran played just 15 matches in all competitions and seven in the league previous campaign, as he spent six months out with an Achilles tendon injury.

“Every injured player is a problem and Themba comes from a long period of injury from last season when he had the injury that took him months to recover and then he finished the season playing the Club World Cup at the level he did,” Cardoso said.

“Our expectations are that he will be important for us, but he had a muscle injury that took him out for one month [after the MTN8 quarter against Pirates].

“I don’t think it [the latest setback] is a knee injury. If it is a small thing that comes from muscle then let’s hope he will come back as quickly as possible, [that] it is not a big injury.”

Cardoso said Downs were given the green light by their medical department to field Zwane after his latest recovery.

“We had total clearance for Themba to play. We knew he, Thapelo [Maseko] and [Siyabonga] Mabena were players that should not play more than 30 minutes.

“That’s why some of the substitutions were made to arrive in a period where we knew we could in terms of the medical and performance department’s advice on when we could put them on the pitch.

“Unfortunately, Themba had a small problem. It’s not the same injury he had and let’s see what we will get from there, if it is a knee or the lower part of the leg. It was from a contact and let’s hope it is not a big thing.” 

A brace by Iqraam Rayners (66th and 74th minutes) that followed an opener by Kutlwano Letlhaku (22nd) saw Masandawana register a comfortable victory over Magesi to move to the top of the log ahead of Sekhukhune United and Kaizer Chiefs.

Downs face Marumo Gallants at Dr Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein on Wednesday (7.30pm).