Sundowns wait on Mokoena and Williams fitness before CAF Super Cup final

Mamelodi Sundowns will make late decisions on the fitness of Teboho Mokoena and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams before Sunday’s CAF Super Cup final against USM Alger.

Both players missed Sundowns’ Carling Knockout quarter-final win over Golden Arrows on Tuesday after suffering recent minor injuries. The Brazilians are also without long-term absentees Khuliso Mudau, Keanu Cupido and Grant Kekana.

The final is scheduled to take place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday afternoon, but head coach Miguel Cardoso said he could not yet confirm which players would be available to face the Algerian side.

“Look, regarding injuries, obviously our injuries are public, they are known. There are injuries we have not even had chances to think about, others are doubts, we have to confess to you,” Cardoso said at a CAF press conference in the stadium’s auditorium in Pretoria.

The Portuguese coach said the team’s medical staff would need to assess the squad before any final decisions were made.

“We’re not sure about who is going to start the match 100 percent. What we know, we have some idea but you also know that coaches at this moment when they have to deal with injured players have a lot to put on the table, we have not only this competition, it’s a monster one, a big one,” he added.

Cardoso also stressed that Sundowns have more matches to consider beyond the Super Cup and would not put players’ health at risk.

“But we also have a lot ahead. We cannot risk the health of the players. So there’s a lot of decisions I have to do now, because we just finished the session, I had to come quickly (to the press conference), somethings stay in the air, I will have to speak with our doctors and from there understand from which point and what kind of options we can take ahead,” he said.

Despite the uncertainty over Mokoena and Williams, Cardoso believes Sundowns have sufficient strength in depth to cope if either player is unavailable.

“One thing I can tell you; the team has been improving. What I tell them usually is exactly the truth that we can replace a player, whoever he is,” said the former Esperance coach.

“Of course the characteristics of one player will never be the same as the characteristics of another one but it does not mean the team becomes weaker or stronger (due to availability or unavailability).”

Sundowns’ preparations have therefore continued with the fitness of several players still under review, as the club targets victory against USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup.