‘Bafana will benefit from strong finish’

THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has welcomed three South African clubs – Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates – to next season’s continental competitions.

Immediately after completing Saturday’s final round of PSL Absa Premiership matches, CAF reacted on their Twitter account: “Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are all coming back for Interclubs competitions next season.”

Premiership champions Sundowns and runners-up Kaizer Chiefs have qualified for the CAF Champions League, the premier club competition on the continent.

Third-placed Pirates have reached the CAF Confederation Cup, the continent’s lower-tier club competition.

The second South African entry will be Bloemfontein Celtic, the Nedbank Cup finalists who will go up against Sundowns in the final on Saturday at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium.

Usually only the Nedbank Cup winners would qualify for the Confederation Cup, but since Sundowns have already secured a Champions League slot, the finalists become the second SA entry regardless of the result in the final.

Meanwhile, SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan feels the strong performances by teams in Saturday’s dramatic final round of fixtures could stand the national team Bafana Bafana in good stead.

“Up until the final whistle, the league could have gone either way but ultimately Sundowns prevailed through their never-saydie attitude,” said Jordaan.

“The club has done well in CAF club competitions, and we look forward to them raising the South African flag again together with other continental representatives.

“When our clubs do well in CAF tournaments, it rubs off on our national teams, especially the senior men’s national team, Bafana Bafana.

“Competing in Africa year in year out and continuing to dominate on the domestic front shows the vision of club President Patrice Motsepe and his board.”

With the Premiership season wrapped up, the MTN8 matchups have been determined by the positions on the season-ending log.

The MTN8 competition which will kick-off the new season will mark the entry of Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila into top-flight football after the club purchased Bidvest Wits, who ended the season in fourth place.

Madzivhandila will play fifthplaced SuperSport United.

MTN8 FIXTURES (WITH FINAL LOG POSITIONS)

1-Mamelodi Sundowns v 8-Bloemfontein Celtic; 2-Kaizer Chiefs v 7-Maritzburg United; 3-Orlando Pirates v 6-Cape Town City: 4-Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila v 5-SuperSport United | The PSL will announce match details later