Overview
- Orlando Pirates announced this week that Bafana Bafana internationals Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa have returned to full-team training and have featured in friendly matches as they rebuild match fitness.
- Both players were sidelined with injuries in early August, with Mbatha out with a knee problem and Makgopa treated for patellar tendinitis, and the club says they remain candidates for selection for the MTN8 final on October 10 if cleared to play.
- Other injured squad members are on staged rehab programs: Sihle Nduli has started running and faces about two weeks of field-based rehabilitation before reintegration, while Mohau Nkota and Andre de Jong have progressed to on-field work.
- Pirates medical staff said the extended FIFA break helped accelerate recovery by allowing controlled training and friendlies that test fitness without immediate competitive risk.
- If both forwards reach match readiness, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou will gain tactical depth and bench options against Mamelodi Sundowns, though final team selection will depend on observed match fitness rather than training availability.