Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi says that the injury picked up by Themba Zwane against Maritzburg United on Wednesday is not as bad as first feared.

The 219/20 PSL Footballer of the Season was stretchered off early on in the 2-0 win over the Team of Choice.

With Kermit Erasmus and Gaston Sirino already sidlined through injury, the Down coaching staff would have been worried to see another one of their star men pick up a knock with the Caf Champions League quarterfinal against Al Ahly and former coach Pitso Mosimane fast approaching.

Mngqithi, however, has revealed that the injury is not as bad as first though and that he is hopeful that Zwane will be back on the field of play very soon.

‘We decided to take him out early because we didn’t want to risk having more problems. Truth be told, we were all scared when we saw him because we thought it’s a very bad muscle injury,’ said Mngqithi at Loftus Stadium.

‘But according to him and the doctors it looks like it’s a grade two, it could be a strain or grade one which could be easily sorted out probably within a week or seven to 10 days. We are hopeful that he will be back very soon.’

Sundowns face Al Ahly in the first leg on May 15th with the second leg set to take place on the 22nd.