Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso hopes Teboho Mokoena’s replacements will fill in his gap as he will miss the Betway Premiership clash against Orlando Pirates due to suspension.
Sundowns will host Pirates in a top-of-the-table clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (3.30pm kick-off). They currently lead the standings with 21 points, three ahead of third-placed Pirates, who still have two games in hand.
While the match may not have a decisive impact on the title race this early in the season, both teams will be eager to secure victory to boost their ambitions and claim national bragging rights.
Sundowns have suffered a major setback ahead of the match, though, as they will be without the suspended Mokoena, who picked up his fourth yellow card during their Carling Knockout Cup last-16 defeat to Marumo Gallants.
“It’s very interesting that you ask about Teboho’s situation because it was a coincidence that he got a yellow card in the last minute of the match when our next game was against Pirates,” Cardoso said during Thursday’s pre-match press conference at Chloorkop.
“I just hope that the ones we are going to play in his place are at his level.”
Mokoena’s availability would have been timely for the Brazilians as Cardoso believes the midfielder is just beginning to rediscover his form.
He has been gradually returning to his best on and off the field following the saga in which Bafana Bafana were docked three points after he featured in a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier. A situation that ultimately proved inconsequential.
Bafana qualified for the global showpiece, which will be held in North America, after finishing top of Group C with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda in the final qualifier at Mbombela Stadium earlier this month.
“I think after Bafana’s qualification, it’s clear that Teboho became a different man,” Cardoso said. “We are also happy about that. It was a very human issue. It was clear that he wasn’t in the best space before that.
“But if you talk to him now, you’ll see that he’s smiling. So I have no doubt that the best version of Teboho Mokoena will return in the coming matches to help us.”
