Rayners missed Sundowns’ defeat with flu, Cardoso confirms

Mamelodi Sundowns forward Iqraam Rayners missed Sunday’s shock 1-0 defeat by Lamontville Golden Arrows because he was suffering from flu, head coach Miguel Cardoso has confirmed.

Rayners was not included on Sundowns’ injured players list before the first-leg semi-final of the knockout competition at Lucas Moripa Stadium, but Cardoso said the Bafana striker had become ill during training the previous day.

Tsiki Ntsabeleng was also absent from the squad, although the midfielder is now close to returning to full fitness.

“If Iqraam is not on the medical report, it’s because the doctor forgot, because yesterday [Saturday] he appeared in the [training] session with flu and he could not be lined up. So, he was not available for the match,” Cardoso told journalists after the match.

Sundowns started with Lebo Mothiba in attack, before he was replaced by Brayan Leon. DDC graduate Bennett Mokoena was also selected from the start, while Rayners’ absence was a surprise given his role with both club and country.

Cardoso said Ntsabeleng could have been called up but was not yet considered ready for competitive action.

“Tsiki is in the process of being 100 per cent okay. So, he could have been called up. He was not a technical option, but he is already available to be put into play when we decide so.

“What made us not make an option on him was that we felt that he still needs a little bit more training in order to be available. We will always have a few players who will stay out. But it’s a completely different situation from one and the other,” the former Esperance coach went on.

The defeat was a significant setback for the CAF Champions League winners, who were beaten by a Golden Arrows side known as Abafana Bes’thende.

Cardoso also highlighted the difficulty of maintaining a settled starting line-up while Sundowns continue to play every three or four days.

“This line-up did not even have one single player who made the first XI in the final of the CAF Champions League, not even one. It has obviously been difficult to be consistent in finding a line-up, but also, as you may imagine, when you play three or four days, you need to change players.

“What we need is for the players who get opportunities to understand the moment, know what is required, and give their best. That way, we can consistently rotate the squad and get the right results. That is what we are looking for.”

Sundowns will have little time to recover from the defeat, with their next fixture against AmaZulu scheduled for Wednesday evening.

The Betway Premiership match will be played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, with kick-off at 19:30.