Sundowns reveal positive Covid-19 results, Pitso calls for transparency
The head coach has asked teams to be responsible, as the South African football season resumed last week, after 145 days in lockdown.
Pitso Mosimane during the Mamelodi Sundowns Press Conference at the ARM House, Johannesburg (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Head coach Pitso Mosimane on Saturday called for transparency from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) regarding testing as Mamelodi Sundowns became the second club in the past week to reveal positive Covid-19 results.
The Brazilians faced off against Bidvest Wits in the second Nedbank Cup semi-final at the Orlando Stadium as the 2019/2020 season resumed after 145 days.
On Thursday, opposing head coach Gavin Hunt also admitted that his side had “quite a few” positive Covid-19 cases in the build-up to resuming the season.
“We’ve had to adjust because we’ve had some injuries, some players have tested positive and we need to be honest and accept this and quarantine players,” Mosimane said in a pre-match interview.
“Because it’s not only for the safety of our players, it’s also for the safety of our opponents and I can only hope that everyone respects the principle.
“Look we all want to win but sometimes it is also good to observe the protocols. Imagine I know that I am carrying the virus and I’m playing against you, I’m holding you, breathing on you.
“These are the kinds of things I hope we don’t have [in resuming the league].
Since implementing the wholesale testing of PSL teams, only a few clubs have come out publicly announcing positive results.
Teams such as Kaizer Chiefs, Bloemfontein Celtic, Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC all confirmed positive Covid-19 results – with seven cases in total from players and staff.
Sundowns will now face Bloemfontein Celtic in the final of the Nedbank Cup after a thrilling 3-2 win over Bidvest Wits thanks to a free-kick from Lyle Lakay with the last kick of the game.
The final will see the two teams contesting for the R7 million prize-money on 8 September.
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