Sundowns arrive in Zimbabwe

They will play Caps United at Rufaro on Friday before taking on Dynamos on Sunday at the same venue.

The Brazilians touched down at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport Monday afternoon from Johannesburg. The 57-member delegation was whisked to their hotel, the up-market Holiday Inn, in their own team bus that came in from South Africa on Sunday night.

Speaking to the media after an afternoon snack, head of technical Trott Moloto said coach Pitso Mosimane had given the boys off after intensive training last week and will take them for training on Tuesday at Luveve Stadium.

Mosimane will address the media on Tuesday after training.

“I have given them off this afternoon, so they can rest as they have been in intensive training since last week. We are taking this tour seriously which is why we are playing the big teams here.

“We are preparing for the second half of the season and we want to do better than last year when we struggled,” he says.

Sundowns are in 10th position on the Premiership log, with 18 points from 16 matches – 17 points off leaders Kaizer Chiefs and 16 off second placed defending champions Orlando Pirates.

Part of the contingent in the Sundowns includes former Jet Rookie of the Year Esrom Nyandoro, defender Method Mwanjali, who has turned out for Hwange, Shabanie Mine and Caps United in Zimbabwe and striker Nyasha Mushekwi.

Before making the trip to Zimbabwe, Sundowns had beaten Garankuwa United 2-0 in a friendly match on Saturday in Limpopo. Goals from Mushekwi and a penalty by Eleazar Rodgers gave the Brazilians the win at the Oscar Mpetha Stadium.

Mosimane fielded two different teams for the match, and with 32 players making the trip, he is again likely to use three teams for the game against the Zimbabwe giants.