Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi has suggested that star playmaker Gaston Sirino will return to the starting lineup for the Telkom Knockout semi-final clash with Golden Arrows in Durban this weekend.
Sirino has missed the Brazilians’ last two games, having picked up an injury in the Telkom Knockout quarter-final victory over Chippa United on November 3 – a game in which the Uruguayan scored two goals before limping off.
Sirino’s absence, along with that of Themba Zwane’s, was keenly felt in the 3-2 Absa Premiership defeat to Golden Arrows in Downs’ last fixture played in torrential downpour in Durban.
And Mngqithi has confirmed that Sirino is set to play a part against Arrows as Pitso Mosimane’s have an immediate opportunity to seek revenge against Abafana Bes’thende, but that Zwane will probably not feature.
“It’s a blow for us. We lost some key players. The bad part is we lost some offensive players,” Mngqithi told KickOff.
“Gaston Sirino has been out for a long time but we are hoping he will be back for this one. Mshishi [Zwane] has been out and looks like he will miss this one.
“Everybody knows what Mshishi can do for us but we can’t complain and say we are short of players.”