Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has addressed the situation surrounding young winger Thapelo Maseko, who has found consistent first-team opportunities hard to come by this season with the Brazilians.
The depth and quality within the Sundowns squad mean Maseko faces considerable competition for a starting role on the flanks. The likes of Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Tashreeq Matthews, Kutlwano Letlhaku, and Kobamelo Kodisang are all vying for similar positions, creating a challenging environment for regular selection.
Maseko arrived at Chloorkop ahead of the start of last season, joining from SuperSport United with a reputation as an exciting young prospect. During his time with Matsatsantsa, the now 22-year-old showcased his talent through electrifying pace and impressive dribbling ability, often proving a handful for opposition defenders.
Read: Peter Shalulile praises Sundowns boss’s game plan for victory over Esperance
His SuperSport United career saw him feature in 34 matches across all competitions, contributing four goals and two assists. His dynamic attacking qualities naturally attracted the attention of Mamelodi Sundowns, who moved swiftly to secure his signature amidst reported interest from overseas clubs.
Whilst his debut season did not go according to plan, there were several moments of brilliance indicating that with time, he could be one for the future. His potential was evident, and he was selected to be part of the history-making Bafana Bafana squad that secured a bronze medal at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
However, the current campaign has presented a different challenge for the talented attacker. Maseko has found it difficult to consistently break into the Sundowns matchday squad. To maintain his sharpness and match fitness, he has been a regular feature in Sundowns’ DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) side.
Speaking after their crucial 1-0 victory over Esperance in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, where Maseko made a second-half substitute appearance, Coach Cardoso offered insights into the player’s situation. He emphasized that the Bafana Bafana international has been performing well in training.
“Maseko has been training very well; It’s true that he hasn’t been playing regularly. He’s been with the group, and when the player is regularly in the group, it means we trust him,” Cardoso affirmed as quoted by FARPost.
He further elaborated on Maseko’s qualities and the tactical thinking behind his inclusion against Esperance: “He’s a player that we trust, and he has specific characteristics, and we thought with how the game against Esperance was, we would profit from his characteristics.
Maseko is a very quick player; he understands the spaces behind the defenders. So he has been training us with… and he’s a player who needs to be served in the spaces, we didn’t serve him that.
Cardoso acknowledged that the tactical execution to fully exploit Maseko’s strengths in that particular match could have been better. “We had to play balls behind the defenders and the intentions were clear with putting him on the pitch, we’re pretty satisfied with the work he does every day [at training].”
The return leg, scheduled for April 8th, 2025, will see Miguel Cardoso return to Tunisia, facing his former club with a favorable result in hand. Remarkably, this victory marks Cardoso as the first Sundowns coach to overcome Esperance de Tunis, adding a significant chapter to the club’s history.