Mamelodi Sundowns policy cripples AmaTuks in Nedbank Cup showdown

The Brazilians have allowed strikers Thabang Sibanyoni and Promise Mkhuma to spend the 2023/24 season at their crosstown rivals in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, but the duo are unable to face their parent club. 

Motaung admits Sibanyoni, in particular, will be greatly missed in their Nedbank Cup quarter-final tie at the Lucas Moripe Stadium this evening.  

"It's big, of course, looking at how he's been doing for us. He's been very critical in terms of where we are now in the league. We would have loved to have him, but the reality is we know about the loan agreement," said Motaung.

"And that agreement was there even before we could have him at our training sessions, so we're not going to really focus on that or worry ourselves.

"I see this as a platform to give other players an opportunity to really demonstrate what they are capable of – yes, Siba would have played a great role for us, and we would have loved to have him in this particular match."

The fixture has also been moved away from Tuks’ home ground in Hatfield to the Lucas Moripe Stadium, which Sundowns also uses as their alternative venue, and the coach feels they’ve lost a bit of an edge as a result thereof. 

"For us, from a technical side of things, we would have loved to play at our stadium, and looking at the fact that there are players just coming in now to the professional level, the hostility at [Lucas Moripe] Stadium will be bigger, as compared to ours," he added.

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