However, with an integral cog of their machine getting injured on national duty, their Carling Black Label Knockout Cup fixture against Golden Arrows isn’t as cut and dry as we thought. At 5.25 odds for an Arrows victory, it might be worth the bet.
- An engine-room injury
- His influence
- Doctor’s prognosis
International break strikes again
Clubs around the world often express mixed feelings about international breaks amid the league season.
We’ve seen it happen repeatedly over the years where crucial players end up picking up serious injuries while representing their countries, sometimes in pointless friendlies.
That wasn’t the case for Themba Zwane though as he pulled on the Bafana Bafana jersey for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Zwane travelled to Congo-Brazzaville and featured from the start for South Africa, only to be hooked off after 40 minutes.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ fans were holding their breath and praying that the substitute was made as a precaution, but it seems worse than their initial thoughts.
The midfield maestro is incredibly influential for both club and country so much so that Hugo Broos mentioned that losing him played a big role in Bafana not coming home with three points.
Magnificent Mshishi
Despite being 35 years old, Mshishi is a crucial part of the Sundowns and South African midfield.
Injuries did plague him last term but he managed 18 league appearances and wore the armband in 13 PSL matches.
He’s proven to be talismanic for club and country in both performance and leadership, something that Sundowns will miss desperately.
Zwane recently led Sundowns to a crucial 2-1 victory against an ever-improving Kaizer Chiefs, the last domestic fixture before the international break.
He produced one assist in the two league matches he’s featured in, helping his side remain top of the log and keep the chasing pack at bay.
Considering the qualities he possesses and the fact that he’s a veteran in the team, this Achilles tendon injury will affect the defending PSL champions.
He’s due to undergo further tests when he arrives in South Africa but reports from the Chief Medical Officer at SAFA suggest that it’s a long-term injury.
Doctor’s orders
Apart from the South African coach confirming the Achilles injury, former Bafana Bafana and Sundowns physician Dr Ntlopi Mogoru indicates that Zwane’s footballing year is over.
The injury still needs to be graded on home soil and if it’s limited to Grade 1 or Grade 2, the Sundowns man will face being out for up to six to eight weeks.
However, in the worst-case scenario, Mshishi is facing four to six months on the sidelines and the doctor thinks his age won’t help his cause.
Mngqithi must now find a different creative force for his side, which is a huge blow to their credentials on all fronts this term.
Additionally, Zwane’s contract was only extended by a year, which means he must work incredibly hard to win himself another season at the Brazilians.
With Masandawana needing to rotate to keep players fresh for multiple competitions, they could lack that creative spark this weekend when they entertain Golden Arrows.
Domestic cup competitions haven’t been kind to the league champions recently and it may just go the same way again here on Saturday.
Betting Tip
Golden Arrows to win @5.25 with Betway