No real concerns over Erasmus fitness ahead of TTM clash
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi believes Kermit Erasmus could be fit for Wednesday’s DStv Premiership match against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on Wednesday night at the Loftus Versfeld.
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
The former Cape Town City striker limped off after scoring his maiden goal for Sundowns in a 3-0 win over league rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the opening match of the league. The Bafana Bafana striker played for just under an hour against Amakhosi.
READ: Fans blame Khune for Chiefs’ heavy loss to Sundowns
“We don’t think Kermit’s injury is a serious injury, he was already getting tired at that time, he was starting to feel some niggling issues, we honestly don’t think it is bad, we might still have him in the next match,” said Mngqithi.
Downs’ win against the Glamour Boys comes at the back of an early exit from the MTN8 at the hands of Bloemfontein Celtic. Mngqithi believes that the air of negativity has been wiped away by the Amakhosi win that sees them shooting straight to the top of the log in these early stages.
“We must always expect negatives in football, I was also negative myself because I wanted to win that game and whoever was negative towards the outcome, I cannot blame them at all because it is not nice to lose a cup match especially when you believe that you have created enough scoring opportunities but the goalkeeper just does not give you a chance,” said the Masandawana mentor.
The likes of Themba “Mshishi” Zwane, Keletso Makgalwa and Peter Shalulile scooped some gongs in the Premier Soccer League awards and Mngqithi says the awards could’ve had a negative or positive effect on his players.
“That could have gone either way because it had the potential to make players to be over anxious or excited and they end up not really giving you what you expect on the day, but maybe on the other side it is possible that after receiving these big awards, they all have to go out and give it their best shot. Mshishi went out and scored, Shalulile scored and Hlompho (Kekana) also had a sterling game. We are hoping that it is something that we can build from.”
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