With Grant Kekana set to return for Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League final second leg against AS FAR, on Sunday after serving his suspension, ex-Downs player Thabo Nthethe says the coach should continue with Khulumani Ndamane and Keanu Cupido in defence.
Kekana missed Sundowns’ last two Champions League matches after he received a red card in the semifinal first leg against Espérance Tunis. This forced coach Miguel Cardoso to use Cupido, who played with a shoulder injury in the first leg, alongside Ndamane in central defence.
With Kekana available for the second leg at the intimidating, 70,000-seat Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Morocco, Nthethe does not think Cardoso should change the line-up.
Keanu Cupido took injection to be able to play against AS FAR.
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) May 17, 2026
WATCH Miguel Cardoso's press conference ➡️➡️➡️https://t.co/7QZpVpdCDd pic.twitter.com/sTPiilroQZ
“Honestly, I don’t think it will work for the coach to drop any of them [Ndamane or Cupido] for Grant,” Nthethe said. “I think he can be on the bench, but not to start.”
Cardoso said recently Ndamane is suffering from fatigue after costly errors in domestic league matches and many feel he might be dropped with Kekana now returning.
But Nthethe said: “[It’s important] to keep the spirit going and to keep [Ndamane and Cupido] playing because they played well in the first leg.
“There was no damage or missed communication between them. I think when Grant comes back, he must go back to the bench.”
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso reflects on 1️⃣➖0️⃣ win over AS FAR.
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) May 17, 2026
WATCH press conference ➡️➡️➡️https://t.co/r93e5bigqb pic.twitter.com/cHRrlYlwDq
With Masandawana heading to Morocco with a slender 1-0 lead, Nthethe, who was a crucial pillar in Sundowns’ defence when they won the title in 2016, backs his former team to get the results.
“To be honest, [their lead] is not enough. I wish the team could have scored at least two. [But] they just need to keep the fighting spirit, and they can end up winning there.
“Those North African teams make you feel like you are nothing, and the treatment won’t be nice. When we go to them, they already know the results, and now they can plan accordingly.
“It’s not going to be an easy one. They [Sundowns] just need to make sure they don’t concede any goals.”
Sowetan
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