NOW THAT BAFANA Bafana have re-established themselves as one of the continent’s giants through their AFCON and World Cup qualification, as well as the weekend’s victory over Zambia, it is now the turn of the clubs to follow suit.
All three of Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs will this weekend participate in CAF interclub competitions, hoping to ride the wave of Bafana’s recent success as the mini-league phase of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup begins.
Perennial knock-out stage participants Sundowns, who were beaten finalists last season, welcome Orlando Pirates slayers Saint Elois Lupopo to Loftus Versfeld on Friday night. It is a tricky fixture for the Brazilians, who are the top seeds in a group that also includes Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger and Sudanese giants Al Hilal.
Lupopo have expressed their eagerness to prove that knocking the Buccaneers out in the preliminary round was no fluke by trying to get the better of Sundowns. But their recent back-to-back draws in their domestic league suggest they are unlikely to trouble one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Typically, Sundowns sit atop the South African league table and are expected to make the knockout phase of the continental competition once again, following their compelling annihilation of Nigeria’s Remo Stars. For all their bravado after defeating Pirates via a penalty shoot-out, Lupopo are the group’s lowest-ranked team and, as debutants in the group stages, are widely tipped to finish bottom.
Anything other than victory would be deemed a failure for Sundowns.
The same cannot be said of Chiefs, who are in the Confederation Cup group stage for the first time and face stiff opposition in the form of multiple-record champions Zamalek of Egypt, fellow Egyptian club El Masry, and Zambia’s Zesco United.
Discerning continental football followers will recall that Amakhosi won this competition back in 2001 when it was still called the Mandela Cup (CAF Cup Winners’ Cup).
You can bet they will use that success as part of an inspiring narrative to help the young team believe they can at least reach the knockout stages. Amakhosi begin their campaign with a trip to face an El Masry side that was knocked out by Fadlu Davids’ Simba in the quarterfinals last year, losing 4-1 on penalties after a 2-2 aggregate stalemate.
Stellenbosch FC are enduring a nightmare in the Betway Premiership, with Steve Barker’s men stuck at the bottom of the table in 15th place, seemingly unable to buy a win. They have managed just two wins from 12 matches, but their fortunes in the second-tier continental competition — where they reached the semifinals last season—have been different.
They are keen to shine again and will look to prove their continental credentials when they host AS Otho D’Oyo this weekend. It is a match Stellies will start as favourites, but Barker’s men will need to start finding the opposition goal more consistently than they have in the local league.
Bafana Bafana have led the way; now it is up to the clubs to show that South African soccer is truly on the ascendancy.
