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Goal explains why Masandawana is in a good position to emulate the formidable Orlando Pirates team from the 2010/11 season.
For the second time this season, Mamelodi Sundowns will play an important cup final, when they face Bloemfontein Celtic on Saturday.
Masandawana is hoping to clinch the Nedbank Cup at Orlando Stadium and complete a national treble after lifting the Telkom Knockout Cup and Premier Soccer League (PSL) titles.
The Sundowns are big favorites to beat Celtic, but that doesn’t mean the game is easy for Masandawana as Phunya Sele Sele has proven to be a tough nut to crack in the bio-bubble.
Celtic legend John Maduka is off to a dream start as the club’s head coach having replaced Lehlononolo Seema after the latter moved to Chippa United after the current season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Siwelele has been one of the best teams since the campaign resumed in the Gauteng biobubble and is undefeated having recorded five draws and three wins, including an impressive win over Kaizer Chiefs.
The winners of the 1985 Mainstay Cup (now known as the Nedbank Cup) will enjoy being the losers once again and Maduka is more likely to use the 2012 Telkom Knockout final to motivate his players.
The former Malawi captain, who is in his first coaching job, was serving as the team’s coach when Celtic stunned Sundowns to clinch the South African League Cup with a 1-0 win at Moses Mabhida Stadium ago. eight years.
Maduka’s team has shown passion, determination, teamwork, a beautiful entrepreneurial football and also possesses players who have the ability to inspire Celtic to a victory over their long-awaited opponents.
Motebang Sera showed her big game temperament by grabbing a brace that propelled Siwelele to a 3-1 win against Chiefs and she has also scored against Sundowns and SupetSport United this season.
While coach Pitso Mosimane will also be wary of Ndumiso Mabena, as the inspiring Celtic captain had one of his best seasons scoring and creating goals for the Free State giants.
Mosimane has praised the former Orlando Pirates player for his influence on Swelele and has also compared him to Argentine icon Lionel Messi for his influence on FC Barcelona, as Mabena scored two goals against Sundowns this season.
However, Masandawana has a psychological advantage over Phunya Sele Sele as they have beaten Celtic three times this season, including a 3-1 victory in the MTN8 quarterfinal match in August 2019.
The Tshwane giants, brimming with confidence after clinching their third consecutive PSL title last weekend, are unbeaten in their last 10 competitive matches against Siwelele, having recorded six wins and four draws.
The Sundowns also have the advantage of experience, as this is their fourth grand final in the past five years after winning the 2016 Caf Champions League and 2019 Telkom Knockout.
The current Masandawana team knows what it takes to win a final and is aware that they cannot afford to underestimate Celtic in their quest to emulate a great Orlando Pirates team that achieved the national treble in the 2010/11 season. before accomplishing the same feat. in the next term.
As they always do in all seasons, the Sundowns have reached their form at the end of this period having won four of their last five games and it is almost impossible to stop them at this point in the campaign.
Additionally, Brazil’s key players Lebohang Maboe, Gaston Sirino and Themba Zwane, who has scored two games against Celtic this season, have regained their form heading into the final.
While Mosimane’s experience will serve the Sundowns as well as he seeks to outsmart Maduka with his impeccable experience at the big games after winning four major national cups, including two Nedbank Cups in his illustrious career.
Mosimane recently became the first coach to win five PSL titles when Sundowns topped the Chiefs with the league trophy and has now set out to become the first local mentor to win a national treble since 1996.
The Kagiso-born strategist would also emulate Dutch legend Ruud Krol, who remains the only coach to win a treble in the PSL era.
