After coming so close last season, Masandawana hope their campaign this time around will be successful. The Pretoria giants are the only team flying the country's flag at the continental level and are hopeful of winning a CAF Champions League second star. A win from home takes them closer again, but what stands between them and a second consecutive final is a second-leg action that will take place on April 18.

Babina Noko will be paying a visit to the Tshwane outfit, setting up a clash that promises intensity. The last meeting between these sides saw Sundowns claim maximum points with a 2-0 win over a resilient Limpopo side. This time, both teams head into the fixture in need of points, with their eyes firmly set on the league title, currently a tightly contested race among the top four.

It has now been revealed that the Soweto giants were keen to sign the fullback but were beaten by their rivals from Pretoria. After establishing himself as a top defender at his former club, the South African talent became a subject of intense transfer pursuit from big clubs. He finally moved to the Tshwane Giants, where he is yet to become a regular starter.

After a disappointing show in the CAF Champions League, Masandawana now focus on a domestic tournament. On paper, it is easy to predict a win for the Pretoria giants, but upsets always have a way of writing themselves in such encounters. This is a cup that has eluded the Premier Soccer League giants for some time now, and Downs would be keen to end the poor run that has stretched for three seasons.