Hunting for the creative touch
DOWNS: WANT TO REVIVE SHOESHINE AND PIANO BRAND
Mamelodi Sundowns have not been at their best when it comes to creativity in the last two games. In fact, their attack was fairly blunt when they played out to a goalless draw away to Baroka FC on Wednesday. They are travelling to the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal to face Steve Komphela’s Golden Arrows tomorrow afternoon.
Downs are faced with some injury casualties, with Themba Zwane and Gaston Sirino the most notable blows. Zwane is nursing a hamstring and Sirino is battling with a quadricep problem.
“Themba Zwane is important, it is just like losing Gaston,” said coach Pitso Mosimane.
The duo are arguably the most creative players in Mosimane’s star-studded team and they are the ones who play the piano while the likes of captain Hlompho Kekana and midfielder Tiyani Mabunda hold fort in Masandawana’s “shoe-shine and piano” brand of football. Other absentees are Phakamani Mahlambi, who is struggling with his ankle while Emiliano Tade is recovering for a recurring knee injury.
“You have to understand that we are a little bit under pressure with injuries, we lost Themba Zwane, Gaston Sirino and Phakamani Mahlambi, those are important players in our team, but injuries are part of the program, they will get back and we are moving on,” said Mosimane.
“We have got the Telkom Knockout, the Champions League and the league is still far to go. With the Champions and the
Telkom, we are okay… with the league, of course, we are two points behind our program,” added Mosimane.
His side are seven points behind Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs, but have a game in hand.
In the absence of Sirino and Zwane, Mosimane pins his hopes on seasoned campaigners like
Tebogo Langerman, who has been an ever-present figure in Jingles’ team since the former Bafana Bafana coach took over at Chloorkop some seven years ago.
“He is experienced and he has been playing here for long but he could have played much better. He had a chance in the first half, but he knows how we play, he really fits into the program.”