Michaelson Ntokozo Gumede

By Ntokozo Gumede

Journalist


De Reuck hopes for injury-free season at Sundowns

'Preparations are going really well, the guys have been working hard,' said the Sundowns defender, ahead of Friday's season opener.


Whenever Rushine De Reuck is in the starting line-up for Mamelodi Sundowns, the team hardly concede, so consistent has he been in the Masandawana rearguard.

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De Reuck has had to sit out a few times because of injury, but simply put, when De Reuck is fit, he will play.

He is likely to start against Cape Town City this Friday when the league kicks off as the defending champions are traveling to the Mother City to take on Eric Tinkler’s side, who were the closest to Downs last season, as they finished second in the table.

“Preparations are going really well, the guys have been working hard and we know that going to Cape Town isn’t going to be easy. City has been a very difficult team for us to beat, even last season we didn’t beat them in the league, we drew twice, we know how difficult that game is going to be,” De Reuck told Sundowns’ website.

“We also know that it’s our first game of the season and we need to win just to get the momentum going into the next game. We are ready and working hard. It’s very important to start the season with a victory, if we win our first game it will give us confidence going into the next game,” he added.

Part of his goals going into the season are to get more clean sheets and contribute at the opposite end of the pitch if he can. But most importantly, the former Maritzburg United defender would love to avoid the casualty ward.

“My goal this season is to stay injury free, I know now that there’s a lot of work that I need to do on the side, like strengthening to stay injury free and always be available for selection. I know that if I can get my momentum I can do really well for the team and hopefully we can be able to go all the way and win the Champions League, that’s the most important goal for us as a team.”

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