Chiefs‚ Pirates and Sundowns turn attention to continent

One down‚ three left standing – and that is the way SA will hope it will stay as the weekend’s continental action gets under way with a real prospect of Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs all reaching the group stages.

Only Free State Stars exited in the preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup‚ travelling with just 14 players for the second leg when they were downed 1-0 on aggregate by Rwanda’s Mukura Victory Sports.

Mamelodi Sundowns‚ the 2016 Caf Champions League winners‚ breezed past Equatorial Guinea’s Leones Vegetarianos 7-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round.

Downs have a tougher assignment against Libya’s Al Ahli Benghazi‚ starting with Sunday’s first leg in Cairo in the first round‚ the penultimate level before the group stage of the Champions League.

Orlando Pirates‚ making their return to the Champions League after a five-year absence since losing in the 2013 final against Egyptian giants Al Ahly‚ meet Namibia’s African Stars at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto in Saturday evening’s first leg (kickoff 6pm).

The Buccaneers disposed of Light Stars of Seychelles 8-2 in the previous round.

In the Confederation Cup‚ SA’s remaining team are Kaizer Chiefs‚ who host Madagascar’s ASSM Elgeco Plus at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday (kickoff 8.15pm).

Amakhosi found it easy enough dispensing of Zanzibar’s Zimamoto in the Confed preliminary round 5-2 on aggregate.

However‚ a 2-1 away defeat against the amateurs was the final straw in head coach Giovanni Solinas’s nervy tenure‚ and he was fired on Friday.

New coach Ernst Middendorp has committed to a good run in the Confed‚ and Chiefs have said they will still be challenging to win it.

Meanwhile, Sundowns have hit three of their Bafana Bafana stars with heavy fines after they were found to have been under the influence of alcohol on the club’s Caf Champions League return trip from Equatorial Guinea .

Sundowns spokesperson Thulani Thuswa would not confirm or deny the allegation and said he could not comment on the premiership champions’ internal disciplinary processes.

“Just like at other clubs‚ internal processes are kept internal‚” Thuswa said.

Attempts to get further comment from Sundowns acting general manager Yogesh Singh drew a blank.

The three players could not be reached on Thursday morning because they had already departed for Egypt, where Downs are scheduled to take on Libyan side Ahli Benghazi on Sunday.

It has been established that the three appeared before a disciplinary committee where they were hit with monetary fines for transgressing club rules.

The insider said they stood before their teammates and apologised for their actions.

The three players are said to have consumed alcohol on the team’s trip back to SA following Sundowns’ 2-0 win over Leones Vegatarianos last month. –