Sibusiso Vilakazi was set to miss Mamelodi Sundowns’ trip to Uganda for Saturday’s second leg of their Caf Champions League first round tie against Kampala Capital City Authority.
Vilakazi joined Downs’ growing injury list when he limped off just before half time‚ replaced by Anthony Laffor‚ in the Brazilians’ 0-0 Absa Premiership draw against Polokwane City at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday.
Coach Pitso Mosimane was adamant that Vilakazi would not board the plane from OR Tambo International Airport to Kampala on Wednesday morning.
With Sundowns’ communications and technical staff all on that flight‚ no-one at their offices was able to confirm if that was the case.
However‚ Vilakazi looks set to miss the return leg‚ where Downs need to protect a slender 2-1 lead.
Downs’ injury list includes star forward Khama Billiat and stalwart goalkeeper Denis Onyango‚ while from their registered Champions League squad Keagan Dolly has also been lost to Montpellier in France.
“We’re not taking him‚" Mosimane said after his team’s draw against City on Tuesday night.
"We’re travelling in the morning and have to be at the airport by 6.30am.
"So ‘Vila’ is out.
“Khama is out. Khama will be back against Kaizer Chiefs [in the league match on April 1].
“We have to be smart.
"We are running short of numbers in the Champions League.
“We lost Vila‚ Khama is not there‚ Denis is not there‚ Keagan is not there.
"Remember we registered 25‚ so I’m counting about five now who are not there.
“The numbers are getting thinner.
"It’s like when we played Zamalek when we had 15 players in the [2016] final. But we managed to do it.
“We were doing match analysis in the morning [on Tuesday]‚ looking at the two games we’ve played against
Polokwane‚ and Keagan and Khama were featuring.
“I don’t want to talk about Denis‚ because Kennedy was on holiday against Polokwane.
"Wayne Sandilands was on holiday against KCC.”
KCCA’s away goal scored in the first leg in Atteridegville makes life tough for Sundowns in Kampala‚ where they must draw or lose by a higher single-goal margin than 2-1 to go through.
A 1-0 defeat for Sundowns will see KCCA through on away goals‚ and 2-1 loss see the game go to penalties. - TMG Digital
Vilakazi set to miss Sundowns' Champions League clash against Kampala
Sibusiso Vilakazi was set to miss Mamelodi Sundowns’ trip to Uganda for Saturday’s second leg of their Caf Champions League first round tie against Kampala Capital City Authority.
Vilakazi joined Downs’ growing injury list when he limped off just before half time‚ replaced by Anthony Laffor‚ in the Brazilians’ 0-0 Absa Premiership draw against Polokwane City at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday.
Coach Pitso Mosimane was adamant that Vilakazi would not board the plane from OR Tambo International Airport to Kampala on Wednesday morning.
With Sundowns’ communications and technical staff all on that flight‚ no-one at their offices was able to confirm if that was the case.
However‚ Vilakazi looks set to miss the return leg‚ where Downs need to protect a slender 2-1 lead.
Downs’ injury list includes star forward Khama Billiat and stalwart goalkeeper Denis Onyango‚ while from their registered Champions League squad Keagan Dolly has also been lost to Montpellier in France.
“We’re not taking him‚" Mosimane said after his team’s draw against City on Tuesday night.
"We’re travelling in the morning and have to be at the airport by 6.30am.
"So ‘Vila’ is out.
“Khama is out. Khama will be back against Kaizer Chiefs [in the league match on April 1].
“We have to be smart.
"We are running short of numbers in the Champions League.
“We lost Vila‚ Khama is not there‚ Denis is not there‚ Keagan is not there.
"Remember we registered 25‚ so I’m counting about five now who are not there.
“The numbers are getting thinner.
"It’s like when we played Zamalek when we had 15 players in the [2016] final. But we managed to do it.
“We were doing match analysis in the morning [on Tuesday]‚ looking at the two games we’ve played against
Polokwane‚ and Keagan and Khama were featuring.
“I don’t want to talk about Denis‚ because Kennedy was on holiday against Polokwane.
"Wayne Sandilands was on holiday against KCC.”
KCCA’s away goal scored in the first leg in Atteridegville makes life tough for Sundowns in Kampala‚ where they must draw or lose by a higher single-goal margin than 2-1 to go through.
A 1-0 defeat for Sundowns will see KCCA through on away goals‚ and 2-1 loss see the game go to penalties. - TMG Digital
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