WATCH | Cardoso confident injury-hit Zwane will make full recovery

With fitness issues seeming to be haunting Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane following another injury setback, coach Miguel Cardoso feels he will fully recover from this.

Our expectations are that he will be important for us, but unfortunately, he had a muscle injury that took him out for one month, I don't think it is a knee injury

—  Miguel Cardoso, Mamelodi Sundowns coach

A visibly emotional Zwane walked off the pitch after just 20 minutes of being introduced from the bench during their Betway Premiership match against Magesi, which Sundowns won 3-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.

It was his first match since returning from a thigh injury, which he sustained against Orlando Pirates in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinals in August.

Zwane had replaced Tashreeq Matthews in the 64th minute, but didn't last long as he limped off a few minutes later heading to the changeroom.

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

“Our expectations are that he will be important for us, but unfortunately, he had a muscle injury that took him out for one month, I don't think it 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, it is not a big injury.”

Cardoso added that they were given a green light by their medical department to play Zwane after recovering from an injury he sustained against Pirates.

“We had total clearance for Themba to play, obviously we knew that him, Thapelo [Maseko] and also [Siyabonga] Mabena were players that should not play more than 30 minutes. That's why some of the substitutions were related in order to arrive on a period where we knew that we could in terms of the medical and performance department advised that we can put them on the pitch,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Themba had a small problem. It's not the same injury that 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 and another goal by Kutlwano Letlhaku saw Masandawana register a comfortable victory over Magesi to move to the summit of the log table ahead of Sekhukhune United and Kaizer Chiefs.

Sundowns will now face Marumo Gallants at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium at 7.30pm.

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