Masandawana's eyes are firmly on the upcoming continental game that will decide their fate in the inter-club competition. The Premier Soccer League giants will be playing at home, carrying a slight 1-0 advantage, and many have predicted they have a higher chance of advancing. But do the Tunisian giants care about odds being placed against them?
The defending Premier Soccer League champions, Masandawana, have been a hard nut to crack, not only in South Africa but on the continent at large. The Brazilians are chasing a second star in the prestigious club competition and need just a draw this weekend to get into the final, where they will play either RS Berkane or AS FAR Rabat.
The Bucs legend has admitted it would be a massive blow for the Buccaneers to finish as runners-up in the Premier Soccer League again. Despite a season that has already delivered two domestic trophies, the lingering presence of Mamelodi Sundowns continues to haunt the Soweto giants in their quest for league glory.
Masandawana will be in action this weekend at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, hoping to eliminate Esperance from the prestigious continental club competition. The Brazilians claimed a 1-0 win in the initial outing in Tunis a couple of days ago, explaining why it will be vital for them to have maximum support at home.
The defending Premier Soccer League champions hope to complete the job in Pretoria on Saturday against the Tunisian heavyweights and secure a back-to-back CAF Champions League final ticket. Last year, they fell to Egyptian outfit Pyramids in the last hurdle and will be aiming at making it better in the almost-ending campaign.
The South African star is among the players who are doing well in the ongoing season and has been described as national team material. However, to get a call to Bafana, he has been advised that continued impressive performance against the PSL 'Big Three' is a must for him to earn the coach's attention.
The former Soweto giants goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs has delivered a brutal reality check to the Buccaneers faithful, claiming the Premier Soccer League title race is effectively over. Despite his deep emotional ties to the club, the legendary shot-stopper believes Sundowns' vast experience and Pirates' tendency to stumble at the finish line have handed the crown back to the Brazilians.
The Tshwane giants are fine-tuning for battle with a foot in the continental showpiece, but the 26-year-old right-back has slammed the brakes on any early celebrations at Chloorkop. Even with a narrow first-leg cushion in their pocket, the Masandawana defender has made it clear the mission is still wide open as they gear up to welcome the Tunisian team.
The Brazilians hold a slender 1-0 advantage over the Blood and Gold from the first leg of their last-four clash in Africa’s premier club competition. They head into the return fixture determined to protect that lead and finish the job.
The North African outfit will be at Loftus Versfeld Stadium this weekend to face the Premier Soccer League heavyweights, who enjoy a slight advantage after the initial meeting a couple of days ago. The Tunisian team insists the Brazilians are not yet through to the last hurdle despite playing in Mzansi.
The Brazilians are gearing up to host their Tunisian opponents, but they will be without one of their key defenders for the clash. His absence comes as a setback ahead of such a crucial encounter, but the Tshwane giants have been urged not to lose sleep over his unavailability.
The defending Premier Soccer League champions are at least a draw away from the CAF Champions League final for the second year in a row, where they will play either RS Berkane or AS FAR Rabat. Masandawana are desperate to secure the second star in the competition following their triumph a decade ago.
The Chloorkop outfit has been urged to lodge a formal appeal against the red card shown to the 33-year-old centre-back during their CAF Champions League semi-final first-leg clash. Despite grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory, the dismissal of the experienced defender has cast a shadow over the result ahead of the crucial return leg.
Former Amakhosi star and outspoken pundit Junior Khanye has sent a clear message to Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos regarding his defensive selections. Following a commanding continental performance, Khanye believes two Mamelodi Sundowns stars have proved they are indispensable for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The 31-year-old playmaker has quickly become a key figure in the Soweto giants’ midfield since joining the side led by co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef earlier this season. The ex-Mamelodi Sundowns star has been in fine form at Naturena, earning widespread praise from both the Amakhosi faithful and the technical team for how seamlessly he has settled into life at the club.
The Portuguese mentor has warned his players that their CAF Champions League semi-final is far from over despite securing a first-leg advantage in Tunis. The Brazilians hold a slender lead heading back to Pretoria, but Cardoso insists that only a perfect tactical display will see them through to the final.
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.
The former 29-year-old Masandawana star has finally made his long-awaited return to the pitch, making his debut in the Premier Soccer League clash on Saturday evening after a lengthy period as a free agent. Following a successful first outing, the head coach has opened up on how he plans to utilise the ex-Sundowns man’s unique skill set.
The Sea Robbers sent a strong signal that they are serious about winning the title. The Soweto outfit now enjoys a sizeable margin against their rivals at the time the race is at its highest speed. Meanwhile, Siwelele managed to hold defending champions Amakhosi, but the result rules them out of title contention.
GOAL brings you the details to follow the Brazilians' mission in Tunisia where they face the Blood and Gold at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi on Sunday. It is a semi-final, first leg match of the CAF Champions League and Miguel Cardoso's men would be keen on claiming an advantage going into next week's home leg in Tshwane.
After the result from the Richards Bay game, many Bucs fans were left frustrated and wondering whether it is another season where they came so close to winning the title but failed again. The Soweto giants have been waiting to end the league trophy drought for over a decade, and in the past three seasons, they gave Downs a run of their money only for the Tshwane giants to prevail in the end.
The Buccaneers’ push for the Premier Soccer League title is no longer entirely in their control. They now need results elsewhere to swing in their favour as the race tightens. That means relying on their closest rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, to drop crucial points along the way.
The South African heavyweights are hoping to put aside their disappointment and go a step further to win the prestigious continental club competition. They have a massive task against the North African outfit, who have been doing well in the annual tournament.
The 28-year-old former Buccaneer made a surprising move to Masandawana in the January transfer window as the Brazilians strengthened to push for the South African domestic title. The Bafana Bafana international has been effective, but recently, the winger has been out of action for the Mzansi heavyweights.
The Sea Robbers failed to capitalise on Mamelodi Sundowns' absence by failing to secure maximum points on Friday night against Richards Bay at uMhlathuze Sports Complex. What this basically means is that the defending champions just need six wins and a draw to get their ninth crown in a row, regardless of Bucs' results.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC
