MAMELODI Sundowns received two massive boosts ahead of their crunch Absa Premiership showdown with Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium on Saturday (8.15pm).
Star strikers Khama Billiat, the PSL Player of the Season, and goalkeeper Denis Onyango, voted Caf African based Player of the Year, are both fit after recovering from injury and are set to play.
Said Brazilians spokesman Thulani Thuswa: “The two-week Fifa break has done the players a power of good and it’s great news to have both Khama and Denis back.”
But Thuswa said head coach Pitso Mosimane was worried about a spate of injuries that had sidelined other key players. Out are utility player Asavela Mbekile, midfielder Lucky Mohomi and tough-as-teak defender Wayne Arendse.
Thuswa revealed the team doctors were sweating over the fitness of midfielder Sibusiso “Villa” Vilakazi and Ivory Coast born striker Yannick Zakri.
Villa suffered a knee injury recently and said Thuswa: “He looks very doubtful and is in a race against time to get fit for Chiefs. It’s a huge blow with so many players injured.”
Billiat, who was sensational last season and also won the PSL’s Players’ Player of the Season award, will revitalise Downs’ potent attack along with Percy Tau and Leo Castro, who is slowly but surely regaining his form.
Mosimane knows this is a massive game with only two points separating the champions and the contenders.
Downs have 34 points and Amakhosi are fourth on 36 points, but Sundowns have four matches in hand.
Said Thuswa: “The coach and players are taking this game very seriously. It’s a big game for the club. We know what is at stake here.”
Chiefs are on a 10-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Downs have been battling to catch up on their backlog of fixtures caused by their Caf Champions League victory and more recent win against crack DR Congo outfit TP Mazembe 1-0 in the Caf Super Cup.
Sundowns have dropped five points in their last three league matches but Mosimane knows there is no better time to bounce back than against a Chiefs side peaking at the right time.
What this match does is pit Africa’s best coach – Mosimane – against one of the most talented local coaches, Steve Komphela, who is finally making his presence felt since joining Amakhosi at the start of the 2015-16 season.
