Mamelodi Sundowns return to action after the international break, shifting their attention to the recently launched competition, Carling Knockout Cup, where they will be a part of the main attraction in an exhilarating curtain opener, against TS Galaxy on Wednesday evening in Mbombela.
With the competition’s format designed to knock out a team in every match, the Mamelodi Sundowns’ midfielder Lebohang Maboe said the aim is to win the game and advance to the quarter finals.
“I think we always go into every game to win it. Knowing that it’s a cup game, it’s important for us to finish it in 90 minutes and try to put the team into the next round,” he said.
The two sides have not met in any competition this season, so this encounter will be an intriguing one. Even though Bafana Ba Style have been enjoying a good run of form in the top-flight, Maboe said that the encounter will not be an easy one, especially because the Rockets have plenty of good players.
“I think the likes of Mlungisi Mbunjana, Samir Nurkovic and Lindokuhle Mbatha are players to look out for. We know Nurkovic is good with holding the play and Mbunjana helps him tick a lot. They have a lot of good players,” he said.
Masandawana have a busy schedule this month, participating in three different competitions. While in the pursuit of winning all games and sweeping all available trophies, Maboe said a tight schedule is not an issue as the team is always ready to wear the badge and represent the Yellow Nation.
“We’ve got a tight schedule, but I think when one signs up for a big club like Mamelodi Sundowns, you have to be ready at all times. Whenever the coach needs you, you just have to perform and help the team.”
The midfield maestro concluded by encouraging the Yellow Nation to come to the stadium and support the team. He said: “we would also like to call our supporters to come in numbers to rally behind the team.”
The clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and TS Galaxy at the Carling Knockout will take place on Wednesday evening at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga. Kick-off is at 19H30.
Goodluck my boys…..Masandawana….Gaston!!Gaston!!!Gaston!!!welcome back boy….can’t wait to be proven right….your combination with..Mashishi,Nku,Riberio,Allende,Nasir…and many more…..
Masandawa, please watch nku and Maseko, then watch Sirino
Wonder why..we still have this goalkeeper at sundowns..banenhlanhla abanye abafana
This goalkeeper is very lucky
This goalkeeper is rubish
Left footed players are easily predictable by goalkeepers every time they take a penalty to the near post whereas far post is there to kill the goalkeeper.
Anyway I’m not crying too much about the loose let’s concentrate on big fish now and tjis is my last two cents begging to the coach,Boutoul is not a leftback the poor guy will always accumulate yellow cards every time he plays and clever teams will target him till he gets the red card,kanti what really happened with Lunga a natural leftback the last time I heard we were waiting for him to be neutralize not being a foreigner. We played well when we’re one man short but Maseko is still disappointing me he don’t use just the basics of playing football.
Masandawana i am not complaining because this cup was on our way however this game showed us who actually is fit to lift the targeted cups this year, firstly we gave away 2 goals to TS Galaxy, firstly the Goalkeeper will not help us at any stage and Dennis Onyango should have played, I appreciate Zungu BUT he really needs to pull up his socks very soon, he scored an own goal and the second goal he was nearby and should have defended that goal he is a senior and must lead the team when in need, the tackle was horrible, we don’t break opponents legs like that, Maseko should not have been to Sundowns, the boys tactics is too old compare him with abo Kapinga and you will understand me, Nku must use the opportunities that he is getting, the man is not our material, Brian Onyango should have left Sundowns long ago. Well-done to our small boys abo Mkhulise, Kearabetswe for teaching old boys how to kick a penalty kick, look at those penalties yeah excellence.
otherwise i must congratulate the players who fought for the team abo Allende, Mendieta,etc
Hey before i leave Welcome TO PROFFESOR MATATAZELA SIRINO, THIS BOY HAVE CLASS HE IS FIRE EVEN AFTER TRAINING ALONE FOR SO LONG.
Kick and Muzi..Bafwe2 I agree with you guy’s…Nku…was out of this game..gave us nothing…the goalkeeper really really how has he managed to stay at Sundowns…while to best young goalkeepers left if not on loan..and they playing in the starting 11..ko Supersport..and another one I forgot his name..but colored young man…this one..comes before Denis…really….is there something we don’t know this..guy’s.. is almost 4 years here if I’m correct….but surely played 8 games….think about it…this is a not normal ….if I may ask…our President surely should have.report for everyone performance..every season…and our technical team and coaches must be accountable on why Sundowns is still this players salaries….imagine…wooow banenhlanhla abanye abafana…I always say this to you….something is not right about players contract at my team….one day…sozwa….we watching…..I personally believe the subs we very wrong…we had the momentum you decided to withdraw 4 players..two I’ll understand…Bafwe2 ngeke
This was pure sabotage from psl,they are doing everything in the power to ensure that we don’t win many cups.The FIFA rule state that team should rest a minimum of 48 hours before their next,even in the old days no professional team has ever played two consecutive days,it will never happen to other teams in the world but Sundowns.Even if Bafana played at home our players would still be available.Example pirates is playing on Friday because they have a leg game on Tuesday, why are they not playing on Saturday because they will have 2 days to rest b4 their next game? even during MTN8 Downs and chiefs played their league games on Wednesday and the 2nd leg of the cup on Saturday whereas pirates played league game on Tuesday and the 2nd leg on Sunday.Sundowns play their league games b4 champions league game and pirates play their league games after the champions league game,we are the 1st team to play 8 games in the league even ahead of those who are not playing CAF games.You can read between the lines.I would like to thank the boys for valiant performance you did your best and represented us well.It is just that all the odds were against us,even during the penalties the TS keeper was off the line in all our penalties and no one is saying anything about it even the journalists,analysts and commentators never said anything but it it was our keeper it was gonna be allover the news and social media.Coach hope you realized where Mkhulise,Mendieta and Allende are most effective,i also think Boutuoil performs better as a central defender.Don’t worry coach and all the Downs family we are going to have a last laugh at the end of the season.I also think we are going to finish this season without a defeat.
Well said Downs4Ever. Our coach is complicating things for himself, Boutuoil is not offering us anything playing as a left back because his lack of speed compromises him when we attack. He’s only being played because of favouritism. There was also no need for Rushine de Reuck to start the game, it’s still too early for him. Neo Maema and Maseko are not offering us anything, but they’re always being played. I really feel for Samy Seabi, I thought he would’ve made a very good substitute ahead of Onyango. Well done to Mkhulise, Mendieta and Allende, they played their hearts out, but watch and see the coach replacing Mendieta and Mkhulise with his favourites. Even Mashego didn’t do too bad as a left back. A fit Sirino is way better than Maema and Maseko combined, but Sirino’s biggest problem is his discipline and for that he’s not one of my favourite players.
So my comment about Reyaard Pieters and Brian Onyango was deleted…….I will say it again,those two r NOT sundowns material,dats a fact!!!
Hola Masandawana, ja i really agree with the Members who believe that the PSL is sabotaging us not to win cups, BUT Masandawana since i joined sundowns after Zola Mahobe bought it i never saw the league treating us fair, REMEMBER the objectives of Zola Mahobe when he bought sundowns1, The aim was to stop CHiefs dominance, it was to stop Chiefs Pirates finals, and to make Sundowns a more stylish team, now all the achievements were not easy, our team was robbed left and right, so that means for the to win a game we need to tripple our efforts.
Thai is what abo Hlompho did to achieve this accolades. now yesterday were were exposed that we have dead wood in the team that was hiding behind good players, Brian Onyango, Maseko, Nku, Pieterse, Zungu were not supposed to be here, Zungu scored an own goal and failed to stop the second goal, and ended up breaking opponents legs, he is wearing a very heavy jersey, he must check Hlomphos goals that he scores and defensive moments he performed. Gaston proved that he is class way over most of our players. so a Sundowns player must ensure that he creates 10 chances of scoring and score 6 of them to enable a win even if the referee disallow 3. that Jersey is very heavy. now many mouths are open, because lazy and unfit players are bought by the team. thanks to Mendieta, Allende, Mkhulise, and the young man who taught so called big stars how to kick a penalty. Ka bo yellow i remain.
Masandawana penalties were and never and are never our strong point, remember Rothmans cup, we known for doin the job in 90 min. I knew 2nd half extra time we wanted the penalties cos we were no longer that offensive, ball went from Pieterse to Lebusa and back. Did we need Onyango, is he known for great penalty skills, Zungu is responsible for the two goals, Pieterse had the control of the ball bt Zungu had to come disrupt all that. The other thing i saw is when we attack, everyone attacks and we have very slow players, they slow to regroup and take shape, that’s where most teams will capitalize on us, when the opposition counter attacks us then our defensive players creates fouls and accumulate yellow cards. Maseko needs one year loan at Swallows, He’s a good player but very one dimensional, He attacks one way all the time he gets the ball, Hes not offering us anything. Allende very good bt his temper is gonna cost us. We hv 3 to bring home now cos the league is already ours. We win the nedbank and one of the caf cups, that will be a good year for masandawana. I thank you
Rhulani put Mashego at left back &again put Boutouil in Central defense,those r small details that made u to b an MTN8 loser.The biggest 🐘 in Sundowns room is your selfish ego.U r so obsessed by these left footed players that u start to annoy us now.Mark my words if u r so hell bent on fielding average players like Nku,Maema you’ll lose respect of the dressing room &supporters,I thought u learned something about MTN8 shootout but I was wrong u bring a rigid defender like Onyango to take the first spot kick, wooow Rhulani . Don’t forget if u come from Luanda with a lose you’ll b under a lot of pressure to prove to your superiors that they made the right decision by employing u.U saw how Mendieta wanted to die for the team but once your favorites come you will relegate him to the stands, that’s how u r naive some times.We still love u as a coach but can u b flexible once for the sake of Sundowns progress and stop frustrating Sirino by leaving him at home.
Members i forgot to congratulate Jr Mendieta, He had a good game, how far is Nasir from returning, hiw bad was Riberio’s injury? These are the things we dnt get told here on this website, even after the international break these players are still not back and fit. Mayb all the injury prone players need to leave, sorry im sounding like im heartless
Members I understand your frustrations but the truth is the team played well,we just started badly.Instead of hammering our players we need to unite against the mafias who are running league and football in SA.We need to get rid of the the pensioners like khoza and Jordan.Where on earth have you seen a team play a game when some of the players are on national duty.All the leagues in the world starts their games tomorrow 72 hours after national duty not 22 hours after national duty as in our case.I think we’re being unfair to the likes of Nku who was out injured and I think he was rushed back.I would blame the coaches for changing many things all at once.I remember Maema was once our darling,he used to score goals for us and made Shalulile to excel with his assists now he is made to play some role he is not comfortable with, the poor boy is forever on reverse in the pitch.Remember the game Boutuoil played in the 1st leg of our game against Wydad In Morocco as a central defender?.Our coach is ambitious but complicate things by changing even all the things that worked for us.Players like Maseko are our future and needs our support he comes from different environment.
Hola Masandawana, Please Members let us pass the Carling cup loss and focus on the big fish, Mara you Members are to blame, you talk about big fishes on the general platforms and those hurt soccer lovers don’t know what you are talking about, I would like wish the foot soldiers a very good and good results will assist us to reach our objectives, Petro have a tall striker there and they play crosses into the box for him and that will need us to be careful of, otherwise let us JUST DO IT. I want to watch something on Gaston is he will play.