Mamelodi Sundowns lose two key players

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is always spoilt for choice but does not enjoy losing some of his most trusted players. The latest are Bongani Zungu and Mosa Lebusa.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LOSE BONGANI ZUNGU AND MOSA LEBUSA

The DStv Premiership champions known as Kabo Yellow play another CAF Champions League quarterfinal game this weekend. Two of the major players who contributed to that progress were Zungu and Lebusa. Unfortunately, football is a contact sport, and injuries always occur.

“An update on Zungu: he’s got a hernia, but it’s a little bit up and towards the side, something he has been struggling with a little bit,” Mokwena said, as quoted by iDiskiTimes.

“And the early prognosis is that he will be out for about four weeks, him and Mosa [Lebusa], which is a big blow for us,” the Sundowns mentor added.

Nevertheless, Mokwena has welcomed back Mothobi Mvala and Rushin De Reuck in the same central defence that Zungu and Lebusa occupied.

“We are okay, and how good was Aubaas in that position today – he was amazing. So, we should be okay.

“Hopefully we can get AB [Boutouil] back because he gives us a lot of options, at centre-back, left centre-back, left-back, inverted left-back, third midfielder…

“The numbers are getting there, and AB should be back, but I think Bongz and Mosa probably in the next four weeks, maybe towards the end of the season, the last couple of weeks they will be back,” the Sundowns boss concluded.

POWER SHIFT

In other news, former Orlando Pirates star Brighton Mhlongo believes that Sundowns will not continue their dynasty next season.

With a lead of 11 points and two games in hand, Mhlongo, feels Sundowns will be champions but not again next season. Mhlongo believes that Stellenbosch FC will be one of the teams that will close the gap, thanks to the club’s playing and administrative set-up.

“These guys must envy them but don’t learn from them, all we see is people who are envying them but not learning from them. But to be honest, I am seeing a lot of change, I am seeing teams that are now picking up from what Sundowns are doing,” the former Pirates hero said via SowetanLIVE. 

“I can safely say that I don’t see Sundowns winning the league next season, I don’t see Sundowns winning this Nedbank Cup. I am confident with what I have seen from other teams like Stellenbosch who are growing massively. I think South African football is taking a turn. 

“If you look at a team like Stellenbosch, they are very good technically and administratively. These are teams that are looking at what Sundowns are doing and trying to better them.

“Sundowns is an institution, and they will always want to pull away whenever they see people trying to catch up with them, but I see people like Orlando Pirates have put themselves in a position where they get used to winning by getting trophies,” Mhlongo concluded.