Onyango primed for big recall after injury
Back for duty. Onyango could be trusted with the gloves after recovering from injury.
What you need to know:
- Until Tuesday, the former Uganda Cranes captain had last featured for his side in the goalless draw away to El Merriekh in the Caf Champions League on February 19
This has been a difficult season for Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango as nagging quad and hamstring injuries have seen the Ugandan miss a lot of football.
Until Tuesday, the former Uganda Cranes captain had last featured for his side in the goalless draw away to El Merriekh in the Caf Champions League on February 19.
Fit again, Onyango – who is yet to concede on the continent this season – returned to the starting lineup in the Masanadawana’s 6-0 rout of Golden Arrows that gave 11-time DStv Premiership winners a 16-point lead at the summit of the South African league table.
Without Onyango, the South African side cruised through Group A, winning five and drawing once in six games to accumulate 16 of a possible 18 points, scoring 10 goals and conceding two.
They comfortably finished ahead of two-time defending champions and record winners Al Ahly. The Egyptians laboured to 10 points.
While he was away, co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena have chopped and experimented with three other goalkeepers, including Zambian veteran Kennedy Mweene.
Imminent recall
There will be a temptation to recall Onyango, the 2016 African Footballer of Year (based in Africa), for today’s Caf Champions League quarter-final first leg clash away to Angola’s Petro Atletico.
Their hosts, unbeaten at home, came through Group C at the expense of Al Ahly’s domestic rivals Zamalek. Morocco’s Wydad Casabalanca topped the group.
“The [Caf] Champions League is a process. We know it’s not easy but our record breathes confidence into our squad and beating Al Ahly twice makes us believe we can win the title,” a confident Onyando told South African media.
Red-hot Peter Shalulile, whose hat-trick fired the ‘Brazilians’ past Golden Arrows for a league-high of 21 goals, is their main man in front of goal.
Sundowns, winners of the continent’s biggest prize in 2016, are among the favourites to win this year’s title.
Lwanga in the mix
Elsewhere, in the Caf Confederations Cup quarters, Cranes midfielder Taddeo Lwanga’s Simba of Tanzania host South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.
Also, left-back Joseph Ochaya and his Congolese colleagues at TP Mazembe visit Pyramids (Egypt).
While Mazembe would definitely prefer the Champions League which they have won five times, they wouldn’t mind adding a third Confederations Cup crown to their cabinet at the moment.
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