Ngcongca grabs his chance at Downs
Defender’s form keeps young studs on bench A local mentor is already assured of Ke Yona final spot
Mamelodi Sundowns defender Anele Ngcongca admits that it has come as a little bit of a surprise to be playing ahead of Thapelo Morena in the right-back position recently.
Ngcongca has been enjoying his best run of games in the team after starting four of the last five games.
The 30-year-old, who is in his second season at Chloorkop, has been plagued by niggling injuries that have limited his playing time.
It has not helped matters that he is competing with young studs like Morena for a place, which has resulted in him making only 13 appearances in all competitions this season.
Ngcongca says coach Pitso Mosimane catches him offguard at times by putting him in the starting team.
“Sometimes he doesn’t tell me in time, he just selects the team and I should be ready. But I am professional enough to know that I must be ready when the coach calls me,” Ngcongca said.
“It’s great to be back on the field again. Injuries are part of the game. As a player, to go on and off, it’s difficult to remain consistent.
“I hope to finish all the remaining games.”
The former Bafana Bafana regular is edging closer to his first domestic title as the Brazilians are on course for the league and Nedbank Cup double.
They will take on Maritzburg United in the Ke Yona semifinal on Sunday (3pm) before
Sundowns 1, Maritzburg 0; Sundowns 0, Maritzburg 1 (MTN8 quarterfinal)
Sundowns 2, Maritzburg 2; Maritzburg 0, Sundowns 0
Maritzburg 2, Sundowns 3
Is it going to change our life? I don’t believe. Who needs it more, I don’t know
TOTTENHAM COACH
getting a chance to clinch the league against the same opponents on Wednesday.
“The reason I came to Sundowns is to win trophies and it’s getting closer. I am happy to be part of the team that could win the league,” he observed.
“We still need four points but the main focus now is the Cup, of course. We will be playing in their [Maritzburg’s] backyard so it won’t be easy, but we have depth and experience so it should favour us.” Can this weekend’s Nedbank Cup semifinals present a local coach the chance to break the foreign coaches’ dominance in the Ke Yona competition?
Already, a local man is guaranteed a berth in next month’s final as Pitso Mosimane and Fadlu Davids face-off in the Mamelodi Sundowns versus Maritzburg United match-up at Harry Gwala Stadium on Sunday (3pm). Belgian Luc Eymael stands in the way of Steve Komphela in the Kaizer Chiefs and Free State Stars semifinal at Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow night (8.15pm). Seeking his first winners’ medal in SA football, Stars coach Eymael is in line to emulate Stuart Baxter, Vladimir Vermezovic, Ruud Krol and Julio Leal, the foreign contingent that has won the national cup under the Nedbank guise. As the Ke Yona champion coaches leaderboard stands, only Baxter has won the competition more than once. The Brit won it backto-back with SuperSport United having previously claimed the honours with Chiefs five seasons ago. Mosimane, though, is on the cusp on following up on his success of Trott Moloto (Sundowns)
Julio Leal (Swallows) Roger de Sa (Wits) Ruud Krol (Pirates) Gavin Hunt (SuperSport)
Stuart Baxter (Chiefs) Vladimir Vermezovic (Pirates)
Pitso Mosimane (Sundowns)
Baxter (SuperSport) Baxter (SuperSport) 2015 when he guided the Brazilians to their second Ke Yona triumph.
For Davids, 36, he and the Team of Choice stand to make history as they bid for their maiden cup final.