A bittersweet victory. That was Mamelodi Sundowns’ lot at the weekend. The Brazilians’ delight at having progressed to the Telkom Knockout final was soured by the fact that two of their key players will not be available for the near future.
While goals from Hlompho Kekana and Gaston Sirino ensured a 2-1 win over Golden Arrows in Cleremont, there was an injury and a sending off that served to put a dent on the celebrations.
Goalkeeper Denis Onyango suffered a hamstring injury that could potentially see him miss the final on 14 December, while Sirino went from hero to villain after being sent off.
Coach Pitso Mosimane acknowledged that the Uruguayan midfielder was deserving of the marching orders following his reckless tackle on Siyabonga Dube. “The Sirino sending off was right. He went off the ball and it is a red card,” Mosimane said.
Sirino has developed a reputation for displaying unsporting behaviour.