Sundowns have made the nation proud: Mashaba

Bafana Bafana had to do without coach Shakes Mashaba when they faced Mozambique on Tuesday. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Bafana Bafana had to do without coach Shakes Mashaba when they faced Mozambique on Tuesday. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Published Oct 23, 2016

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Alexandria, Egypt – Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba, who is here to support Mamelodi Sundowns, believes that the club’s exploits in the CAF Champions League will restore pride back into South African football. The Brazilians are 90 minutes away from giving the country only it’s second champion in the premier club competition in the continent after Orlando Pirates won this trophy in 1995.

It has been a long wait. It looks close to ending with the Brazilians leading Zamalek 3-0 thanks to a demolition job that saw them make the five-time African champions look ordinary in the first leg in Pretoria. If the Brazilians play like they did in the first leg, then they will leave Borg El-Arab Stadium on Sunday night as African champions.

“For them to be where they are, they have made the nation proud,” Mashaba said. “We don’t feature in these finals enough. It’s a good thing for South African football that Sundowns are here because it makes things easier for us (as the senior national team). It gives the country and us (Bafana Bafana) respect. If you look at the team that Sundown are playing against, they have conquered Africa a number of times. Look at their national team (Egypt) they have won a number of Afcons (Africa Cup of Nations). These things rub off.”

Mashaba watched Sundowns train at the match venue on Saturday night. He will be back there on Sunday night, kick-off at 8.30pm, to support them as they look to be African champions for the first time in the club’s history. There are reports that Zamalek will be allowed 70 000 fans, double the 35 000 that the Ministry of Interior had initially granted them.

“It’s going to be a fight there,” Mashaba said. “I always say to the players that you can never climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets. You have to sweat. You have to work hard before you get there. The three goals they have won’t dampen the spirit of the crowd. They still have that belief that they can turn the tables. But I think that it’s in the bag. Just as long as we don’t allow complacency to creep in. Stay cool and take things easy. From us as Bafana Bafana and the South African Football Association (Safa), in the absence of the president (Danny Jordan), we would like to wish Sundowns the best of luck. We are saying to them go out there and make us proud. It’s already in the bag, just go out there and take it.”

Independent Media

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