A long-time teammate has expressed his delight at the return to action of 'influential' midfielder Themba Zwane as Mamelodi Sundowns aim to overcome Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League.
Sundowns have it all to do in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final after being held to a 0-0 draw by Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.
Notably, the match marked a long-awaited return to action for Zwane, who suffered an Achilles tear while on national team duty against Congo in Brazzaville in October last year.
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He is also fresh from signing a new deal that will keep him at Chloorkop at least until the end of next season, and it was little surprise that he received a standing ovation when he was brought on in the 70th minute.
"It was very good [to have Zwane back], you could see the stadium was up. He is the captain of the team, and it was very good to have him back on the field after a very long time," noted Denis Onyango post-match.
"He's very influential to the team, and the youngsters love him, the country loves him, and the team loves him. When he is on the pitch, things happen. He looks after the ball and looks for the [crucial] passes.
"So, we hope that he gets the match fitness he needs and helps the team towards the end of the season," continued the veteran.
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The Brazilians will be pinning their hopes on 'Mshishi' and others to come back from Egypt with a ticket to the final, as the two sides meet again at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday.
