Mathoho remains a doubt for season opener

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs defensive duo Eric Mathoho and Morgan Gould have been rated as doubtful for their MTN8 opener against Maritzburg United next month.

Mathoho only returned to training on Wednesday after undergoing surgery on a broken toe at the end of the 2014/15 season, while Gould has been out since April with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

And, with AmaKhosi set to face the Team of Choice in the Wafa Wafa quarter-finals on August 4, the Soweto giants could be without the centre-back pairing.

"Tower joined us in training on Wednesday so he's on the field now," said Chiefs coach Steve Komphela.

"What we did from his injury, he went to rehab and then he did fitness. From then on he was thrown back into the field and he might not necessarily be ready but we're happy to have him back."

Referring to Gould, the former Maritzburg boss said: "Morgan Gould is starting to run, trying to get his fitness back. Cardoso is still wearing a moon boot so we still have a few challenges but they are not challenges where one can say 'what is this'.

"Mathoho should be ready [for the Maritzburg United game] but I have my doubts with Morgan, but with the miracle of medicine, you never know what will happen between now and then."