Downs edge ahead of a tough Chicken
Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 1 Chicken Inn (0) 0 Sundowns won 2-1 on aggregate MAMELODI Sundowns could very well win this competition.
If they do, they will remember they won by substitute Katlego Mashego s injury time penalty against a tough Chicken Inn in the preliminary round.
Downs edged an advantage over excellent Chicken in the first half with Wayne Arendse s 35th minute headed goal.
The Brazilians went on all-out attack in the second 45 minutes, but could not bury a string of chances. Then in injury time Khama Billiat was brought down, and Mashego buried the winner from the spot. But Chicken Inn are no chickens. The first-leg match in Bulawayo, where Inn won by 1-0, was not televised in South Africa. But last night, Inn showed they were a tough side.
Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane predictably had his big guns on the field, making no changes from a 2-1 midweek win against Mpumalanga Black Aces that went a long way in sealing Downs claim as PSL championselect.
The coach had the muscle of big Ivorian Soumahoro Bangaly in midfield next to Hlompo Kekana, useful in countering Chicken s quick front runners.
Chicken coach Joey Antipas said he had a plan to bring to Pretoria after looking at the Brazilians in the first leg.
The result was a match played at a frightening pace, thanks to the light-stepped, skilful running of the visitors.
A weekend of African club competition for SA clubs without the participation of Orlando Pirates seemed strange, writes Mark Gleeson
But the Buccaneers made sure they were not overshadowed as they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 at Orlando Stadium last night to move into a top eight slot in the PSL.
Mpho Makola s deflected free kick, netted just after the half-time break, separated the two teams and saw Pirates advance up to seventh place.
Bidvest Wits fielded a weakened side for their CAF Confederation Cup second-leg preliminary round clash against Light Stars, but there was nothing in their 6-0 victory performance at Bidvest Stadium to suggest theirs was a fringe team, writes Tiyani wa ka Mabasa
Wits won 9-0 on aggregate after their 3-0 victory in the first leg away from home. They will face Tanzanian club Azam FC in the next round s first-leg tie in Joburg on March 12.
Yesterday s PSL results: University of Pretoria 3, Chippa United 0; Jomo Cosmos 2, SuperSport United 4. WHEN you have struggled for a good eight years, as Luvuyo Memela has, just to make it to the Premier Soccer League (PSL), then any chance you get at a big team like Orlando Pirates you grab as if your life depends on it.
The winger, who appeared from nowhere to score 15 goals at National First Division (NFD) club Cape Town All Stars last season, is not young, as common perception would have it.
Memela, handed just a fourth game and his first start in Bucs 3-1 win against Mpumalanga Black Aces in Mbombela last week when he delivered a worthy of man-of-thematch performance, is 28.
A Kaizer Chiefs fan as a youngster, he is hoping to have done enough to earn a run in his first official Soweto derby in Saturday s Nedbank Cup first-round match against Amakhosi.
Some people said I was on fire against Aces,” Memela said.
For the coach to start me after so long in the grandstand gave me confidence. But I knew if I didn t perform that chance might never come again.”
It has been a long path for Memela to live his dream at Pirates, though it didn t help being down in the pecking order to experienced wingers Thabo Rakhale, Sifiso Myeni and Mpho Makola.
As a 19-yearold from Mbekweni township in Paarl, which has also produced PSL stars Terror Fanteni and Gareth Ncaca, he landed his first professional contract in Ajax Cape Town s reserves.
He then spent a year with the first team s reserves never playing. Memela almost gave up the game floundering in the lower leagues.
I moved to Chippa United in the NFD but was sent to their Vodacom League reserve team [Peace Makers FC] for a year, where I was top scorer,” he said.
Chippa wanted to offer me a contract but loaned me to All Stars. I then decided to rather sign with All Stars.
I sat down and asked myself questions as to where I was going wrong.
It had been two years since I had a PSL contract, and there I was playing Vodacom League. I thought, Do I just leave football and go back to study as my mother always said?
I was so close to doing that. I always knew it wouldn t be easy. But I decided to focus at All Stars. I knew they wanted to win the league. I made them my springboard and forgot the past.”
All Stars won the Western Cape Vodacom League in 2012-13, but lost out to Baroka FC in the promotion play-offs. The following season they were promoted.
I had a number of PSL clubs chasing after my signature,” said Memela.
But if you go to a PSL club from the Vodacom league, they will not play you. I needed to prove myself in the NFD first.
I scored 15 goals, that s when Pirates came along.” Memela impressed Bucs coach Eric Tinkler and was included in the Pirates squad that eventually reached the CAF Confederation Cup final, although he didn t play.
It made me feel welcome. I looked back at playing in the Vodacom League two years before there I was travelling in Africa with Pirates.”
Memela is hoping to take to FNB Stadium s field of dreams in the derby.
I came on as a sub in the preseason Black Label Cup. It s a feeling you never forget, he said.
I know it s going to happen for me at Pirates. It s just the beginning now.
When your career is going up and down, it feels like it will never come right.
But when all goes well, the past gets buried in the past.