Sundowns in a savaged kingdom

-
By Malose Wa Ga Lamola

Africa is a jungle and only predators survive. 

Known for its infomous big five - survival is never guaranteed. Mamelodi Sundowns hosts the Guinean side Horoya in their crunch final group match on Tuesday afternoon at the South African capital- Tshwane.

In a jungle everyone can fall prey, it can go either way. The bare statistics suggests that Mamelodi Sundowns are the favourites; given that they are the 2016 Kings of African football.

Sundowns are third in Group C with five points- three behind Horoya. The South African league champions have managed a single victory and two draws after round five of group matches. Anything less than a win won't be enough for Sundowns to progress through to the next phase of the competition.

A draw will be enough for the visitors to secure a spot in the knockout stages. Though the statistics are in favour of Sundowns- their recent poor run of form might deter their chances.

Sundowns has not scored a single goal in their last three matches in all competitions. Suffering a 1-0 defeat to group leaders Wydad Cassablanca-followed by a goalless draw against the newly promoted Highlands Park in the local league - before another one-nil defeat to their hoodoo team Cape Town City in the MTN8.

Still lamenting the depature of star players; Khama Billiat and Percy Tau; Sundowns is yet to find a lethal pair to replace the duo in their attack. 

The Brazilians usually scores on home turf. Horoya held Sundowns to a two-all draw in the reverse fixture- in Conakry- which should serve as an inspiration for the Guinean outfit.

Who will come out on top in this fixture to join Cassablanca is a pondering question. Caf Champions League is a savage kingdom.

@Lamola_Herold

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Baxter leads Bafana to the land of Pharaoh

-
By Malose Wa Ga Lamola After a performance that goes beyond industrious- Bafana Bafana- has qualified for the Afcon finals set to be staged in Egypt this winter. Congratulations on your commendable victory against Libya. Percy Tau has led the team from the front. Tau's brace was adequate for Stuart Baxter's men to claim a 2-1 victory over a stubborn Libyan side at Tunis. The Royale Union Saint Gilloise star player continues to be in a fine form- as he emerged through the pack to seal the deal for Bafana. Baxter has qualified for two Afcon finals in his two stints with Bafana. The Brit first qualified for the 2006 Afcon finals coincidentally held in Egypt. Baxter has now led Bafana to yet another Afcon finals. South Africa has celebrated the class of 1996 for too long- the current generation has to emulate their big brothets and conquer Africa again. With the type of football Bafana is ditching out- winning the Afcon won't be too much to ask for. Bafana is capable
Read more

Haraba: It Is Not Only About The Money

-
Image
By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Hollywoodbets Super League has set up a theatre for women's football in South Africa. An action galore series, more of a horror film than a comedy flick. Though, football is less fictional than most of Hollywood films, but it offers the same dramatic content if not more. Heroes and villains, the building blocks of classic tales. Directing a television production bears some similarities to football management. Trying to coax the best out of role players. Coaches are more concerned with numbers on the log standings, so are directors' obsession with viewership.  A one team dominated league is often referred to as a farmer's league. The dominance of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in the Hollywoodbets Super League puts the women's league in category one of farmers' leagues. Royal AM Ladies mentor, Thato Haraba, argues the notion that Hollywoodbets Super League is a farmers league and is of a view that assumptions lack as much in t
Read more

The Revolution And Evolution Of Banyana

-
Image
By Malose Wa Ga Lamola Banyana Banyana celebrates Africa Women's Cup Of Nations victory after beating Morocco 2-1 in the final. Photo cred: Backpagepix Milpark Stadium remains a sacred space for South African women in football. Like an angel offering redemption to a sinner, in 1992, FIFA readmitted South Africa back into the international football fold. A year later Banyana Banyana was born. The real world finally intruded into South African women's football in the winter of 1993. A new era was opening. Banyana took on neighbours eSwatini, the then Swaziland. The main architects of South African women's football history. Former Banyana Banyana star midfielder, Anna Monate, took ShakingInk down memory lane as she reminisces on the historic day when she took to the field donning national team colours. Though, the stakes were real, and high. Playing football was an art they were learning to master. Monate laid bare the incidents of the 30th of May 1993. “For my
Read more