AmaTuks add six Mamelodi Sundowns players to Motsepe Foundation Championship squad

University of Pretoria, known as AmaTuks, have added several players from Mamelodi Sundowns to their squad despite not announcing all of the arrivals before the start of the Motsepe Foundation Championship season.

AmaTuks are still searching for their first win of the campaign and will travel to Thohoyandou this weekend to face Venda FC in their third match.

They suffered their first home defeat of the season last weekend, losing 2-0 to KwaZulu-Natal side Midlands Wanderers. The match featured two Sundowns youngsters who have joined AmaTuks on loan: Oarabile Booysen and Vincent Sithole.

Booysen made his AmaTuks debut during the defeat. He came on at the beginning of the second half and initially operated as a right-back before moving into a wide attacking role on the wing. Sithole was named among the substitutes but was not used.

Jody Ah Shene, another player belonging to Sundowns, started the match for AmaTuks. He was replaced at half-time after a challenging first-half performance.

Aphelele Teto watched the game from the stands at Tuks Stadium after returning to the club on loan from Sundowns. Ntando Nkosi was also present in an AmaTuks kit, while Chuene Moabelo is part of the University of Pretoria squad after joining from the Premier Soccer League champions.

Watenga starts season as AmaTuks’ number one

Teboho Lekhatla is another Sundowns player now with AmaTuks. The left-back moved to University of Pretoria on loan soon after signing for Sundowns from Real Native.

Lekhatla made his first appearance for AmaTuks in last weekend’s loss to Midlands Wanderers.

Ismail Watenga has returned to the club for a second season on loan from Sundowns. The Ugandan goalkeeper spent last season with AmaTuks but was unable to make an appearance because of injury.

Watenga missed most of the previous campaign while recovering before returning later in the season, but he did not play before the campaign ended.

The 25-year-old has started both of AmaTuks’ matches so far this season, suggesting he may be the preferred goalkeeper of head coach Michael Loftman as the side continues its search for a first league victory.

AmaTuks will now look to Watenga and their collection of Sundowns-linked players to help them improve their results when they meet Venda FC in Thohoyandou.