Nedbank Cup: Will Mamelodi Sundowns win the domestic treble?

For the second time this season, Mamelodi Sundowns will be playing in a major cup final, when they face Bloemfontein Celtic on Saturday. 

Masandawana are hoping to clinch the Nedbank Cup at Orlando Stadium and complete a domestic treble having already lifted the Telkom Knockout Cup and Premier Soccer League (PSL) title. 

Sundowns are heavy favourites to beat Celtic, but that doesn’t mean the game will be easy for Masandawana as Phunya Sele Sele have proved to be a hard nut to crack in the bio-bubble. 

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Celtic legend John Maduka has had a dream start as the club's head coach having replaced Lehlononolo Seema following the latter's move to Chippa United after the current season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Siwelele have been one of the best teams since the campaign resumed in the bio-bubble in Gauteng and they are undefeated having registered five draws and three wins including an impressive victory over Kaizer Chiefs.

The 1985 Mainstay Cup (now known as the Nedbank Cup) winners will relish being the underdogs once again and Maduka is most likely to use the 2012 Telkom Knockout final to motivate his charges.

The former Malawi captain, who is in his maiden coaching job, was serving as the team manager when Celtic stunned Sundowns to clinch the South African League Cup with a 1-0 victory at Moses Mabhida Stadium eight years ago.

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Maduka's side has displayed passion, determination, teamwork, beautiful enterprising football and they also possess players, who have the ability to inspire Celtic to a victory over their much-fancied opponents. 

Motebang Sera proved his Big Match Temperament by grabbing a brace which propelled Siwelele to a 3-1 win against Chiefs and he has also netted against Sundowns and SupetSport United this season.

While coach Pitso Mosimane will also be wary of Ndumiso Mabena with the inspirational Celtic captain having 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 at Swelele while also likening him to Argentine icon Lionel Messi for his influence at FC Barcelona with Mabena having netted twice against Sundowns this season. 

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However, Masandawana have a psychological edge over Phunya Sele Sele as they have defeated Celtic three times this season including the 3-1 victory in the MTN8 quarter-final match in August 2019.

The Tshwane giants, who are brimming with confidence after clinching their third successive PSL title last weekend, are undefeated in their last 10 competitive matches against Siwelele, having recorded six victories and four draws. 

Sundowns also have the advantage of experience as this is their fourth major final in the last five years having clinched the 2016 Caf Champions League and the 2019 Telkom Knockout.

The current Masandawana team knows what it takes to win a final and they are aware that they cannot afford to underestimate Celtic in their quest to emulate a great Orlando Pirates side which clinched the domestic treble in the 2010/11 season, before accomplishing the same feat in the following term.

Just as they always do every season, Sundowns have hit form at the back end of this term having won four of their last five matches and it is almost impossible to stop them at this time of the campaign.

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Furthermore, the Brazilians' key players Lebohang Maboe, Gaston Sirino and Themba Zwane, who has netted in two matches against Celtic this season, have regained their form heading into the final.

While Mosimane's experience will also come in handy for Sundowns as he looks to outsmart Maduka with his impeccable experience in big games having won four major domestic cups including two Nedbank Cups in his illustrious career. 

Mosimane recently became the first coach to win five PSL titles when Sundowns pipped Chiefs to the league trophy and now he has set his sights on becoming the first local mentor to win a domestic treble since 1996.

The Kagiso-born tactician would also emulate Dutch legend Ruud Krol, who remains the only coach to win a treble in the PSL era.