Themba Zwane Nears Mamelodi Sundowns Return After Six-Month Injury Layoff

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane is edging closer to a long-awaited return to action, having completed his full recovery timeline from a serious Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for six months.

Zwane, who ruptured his Achilles while on national duty with Bafana Bafana on October 15 last year, has now reached the six-month mark of his estimated four-to-six month recovery period. The injury blow came early in the season and has drastically limited his contribution during what is set to be his least productive campaign since rejoining Sundowns from a loan stint at Mpumalanga Black Aces.

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Before the injury, the veteran midfielder had featured in just five matches across all competitions, far below his usual high standards. Over the past decade, Zwane has been a pillar of consistency for the Brazilians, regularly clocking up 30 or more appearances per season, with tallies including 41, 36, 42, 34, and 39 matches in various campaigns.

This season, however, even with a third of the DStv Premiership remaining, as well as Sundowns’ ongoing CAF Champions League run and their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup, Zwane will not reach even half of his typical appearance figures.

Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has confirmed that Zwane is back in full training and steadily working towards full match fitness.

“He has been back on the field for several weeks now. He’s closer than ever to being available again,” Cardoso said.

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There is growing optimism that Zwane could return to the pitch before the end of April, just in time to play a part in Sundowns’ most critical fixtures of the season. The club is preparing for a high-stakes double-header against Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League semi-finals, scheduled over the next 10 days.

Zwane’s return could prove to be a timely boost for the Tshwane outfit as they continue to chase silverware on multiple fronts. His experience, creativity, and leadership remain invaluable assets, and his reintegration could provide an emotional lift to a team entering a defining stretch of the 2024/25 campaign.