Downs’ kids win in Europe

The Mamelodi Sundowns reserve team, led by former National First Division (NFD) side Santos FC coach David Notoane (above), are following in the footsteps of the senior team’s success of bringing trophies to Chloorkop after winning two titles in two months.

The young Masandawana were crowned the MultiChoice Diski Challenge league champions in March, which saw them lift the reserve league trophy for the first time after coming close on two consecutive occasions.

Being the MDC champs earned the team a nine-day trip to the Netherlands, were they played a couple of friendly games, before taking part in the MultiChoice International Challenge, a one-day tournament against home team Excelsior Rotterdam, Belgian side KAA Gent and Ichifuna from Japan.

Notoane’s charges won the semifinal with a 2-0 victory against Rotterdam, before lifting the trophy after a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Ichifuna courtesy of Tebogo Reed’s goal with only two minutes left to full-time at Woudestein Stadium in Rotterdam last Thursday.

“I’m really proud of the boys for this historic achievement and happy to be part of the history-making generation at Mamelodi Sundowns,” Notoane was quoted on the clubs website.

With the senior team having done so well over the past couple of years, Notoane says they are inspired by Pitso Mosimane and his charges’ success, having recently won the Caf Super Cup after beating TP Mazembe, winning the Caf Champions league and being the current Absa Premiership titleholders.