Mokwena says Sundowns have options if Saavedra’s injury is serious

Mamelodi Sundowns have options in attack if the injury to Bolivian signing Erwin Saavedra proves serious, co-coach Rulani Mokwena has said.

Playmaker Saavedra limped off in the 38th minute of Downs’ 0-0 Caf Champions League Group A draw against Sudan’s Al-Merrikh at neutral Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Saturday.

Signed from Club Bolivar in the January transfer window,  Saavedra was playing just his third game for the Pretoria giants before being replaced by Thabiso Kutumela.

Mokwena was asked if injuries to Saavedra and Gaston Sirino, and star striker Peter Shalulile’s dry spell, might represent a crisis in attack for his team, which will remain in Cairo for their match against Al Ahly on Saturday.

“The reality is we still have possibilities within the squad. That’s why we’ve got to find the solutions and why we are here as coaches,” he said.

“If we have no possibilities of using the strikers, that’s the situation presented to us and therefore we’ve got to find different solutions to the problems.

“Fortunately we worked on things in this break, in different structures in attack, to try to see whether we could play a different way without some of our strikers.

“In a friendly against TS Galaxy at Chloorkop we worked on different organisational forms and were able to find a bit of joy.

“But it is what it is. It depends how you want to look at it, and I always say life is about perspective — it depends which pair of glasses you want to use,” said Mokwena.

“You can look at it as a crisis if you want. But sometimes that doesn’t help you because sometimes if you look at it from the negative perspective you are stuck in not trying to find solutions.

“We try to be an organisation driven by positive energy and try to be leaders who are solution-based.

“And of course it’s only a matter of time before Peter scores. We know his qualities and what he gives to the team. It’s not just about putting the ball into the back of the net.

“We spoke about it before the game. He’s responsible, like all our other strikers, to start defending from the top, to help us to start creating possibilities for penetrative movements.

“And as long as he does that and the bigger picture is for the team to benefit, we are content,” the coach said.

“But that also presents an opportunity to a player like Kermit Erasmus, who came on [against Al-Merrikh] after some time and some injuries, to also start pushing for a place in the team.”

Mokwena said Sundowns have to assess Saavedra and “we’ll wait for a directive from the medical department” on the extent of his injury.