When asked whether Zwane’s inclusion was influenced by public pressure, his response lacked sincerity.
If there was one match Mamelodi Sundowns simply had to win to stand a realistic chance of progressing from Group F at the FIFA Club World Cup, it was their opener against Ulsan HD.
With Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense on the horizon, the South African champions faced their most manageable challenge against the Korean side.
ALSO READ: Real Madrid held as Juve triumph in Club World Cup openers
The narrow 1-0 victory over Ulsan has significantly boosted their hopes of reaching the last 16. The Brazilians played with composure, control and dominated large spells of the match.
A key talking point was the return of Themba Zwane to the starting line-up, an inclusion that once again highlighted just how costly his omission from the CAF Champions League final defeat to Pyramids FC may have been.
Many will say we should let sleeping dogs lie, but what Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso said in the post-match press conference did not sit well with me. When asked whether Zwane’s inclusion was influenced by public pressure, his response lacked sincerity. Rather than taking responsibility or give football reasons for his decision, Cardoso appeared to deflect blame.
He claimed that his previous decision had been misconstrued and suggested that it was important to wait for the “right opportunity” to play Zwane. In part, his exact words were: “It was important to give him the right opportunity so that he can perform, and today was the right opportunity for him to play.”
Make of that what you will, but for many Sundowns fans and club legends, that statement only reinforces the view that leaving Zwane out of the final was a missed opportunity.
Surely, there’s no better occasion to field one of your best players than in a continental final. It took nine years for Sundowns to contest another champions league final after winning back in 2016.
Maybe I’m being harsh but Cardoso’s explanation feels like a weak attempt at spinning the situation which was somewhat self-orchestrated.
He also mentioned that Zwane had trained and prepared well over the past two weeks, hence his recall to the starting XI, but this only raises further questions. If Zwane was not fit or ready to play in the final, why was he named on the bench to begin with?
In the build-up to that decisive match, Zwane had featured off the bench in domestic fixtures against Magesi FC, Stellenbosch FC, Chippa United, Cape Town City, and Richards Bay. More tellingly, he played in both legs of the CAF Champions League semi-final against Al Ahly.
He came on in the 65th minute of the return leg and helped turn the tie around when they desperately needed an away goal in Egypt. I think the idea that Zwane was not ready undermines the intelligence of the Yellow Nation.
ALSO READ: Sundowns’ Cardoso dismisses Zwane selection pressure claims
Had it not been for the backlash following the Pyramids defeat, his reintroduction in this global showpiece may have been deemed premature.
