Vilakazi aims to end drought of trophies
THE narrative involving Sibusiso Vilakazi facing the club he left a couple of months ago, Wits, in the MTN8 finals this weekend could not have been scripted better, writes Sibusiso Mjikeliso.
The attacking maestro gathered bags full of individual gongs in his time with the Clever Boys before making the switch to Mamelodi Sundowns in the last transfer window but his team-trophy collection remains bare.
At Mbombela Stadium on Saturday, he will have an opportunity to change those fortunes.
Even before the ball is kicked in Nelspruit, you can almost imagine him pirouetting in the 18-yard box, looking for molecular space to unleash a venomous shot.
He remains one of the most dangerous in an arsenal of dangerous Sundowns players that will be on display.
Although he understood that his role could be crucial in deciding which way the MTN8 goes, Vilakazi understands that Wits coach Gavin Hunt will want to deprive him and the Brazilians of glory as much as they want to win.
“I was obviously disappointed that I was on the losing side in two finals, which I think we could have won,” said Vilakazi.
“But hopefully it’s going to be a different outcome this weekend and a turnaround in fortunes for me. Everyone wants to win trophies and it’s one thing players are always looking for.
“Me coming to Sundowns gives me an opportunity to play alongside players that also love to win things. The mentality and the standard the club sets itself is such that we want to win everything.
“My role is to come in and add more to what the team has already achieved.
“We’ve worked hard to get this far in the tournament, so we might as well go all the way. Considering the playing schedule we’ve had to negotiate, we deserve a trophy to show at the end of the day.
“But I know Gavin Hunt is one coach that loves winning.
“He will be putting aggression in the players and telling them that they need this one because they’ve not had anything in the cabinet for quite a while.”
The Bafana Bafana attacker will be tightly marked by the likes of Buhle Mkhwanazi and Thulani Hlatshwayo. Wits boast a team with potent attacking threats of their own, in the likes of Gabadinho Mhango, Daine Klate and Elias Pelembe. But Vilakazi said they had to go out there and impose their style on Wits, who could be happy to sit back and try to catch Downs on the counter-attack.
Vilakazi said: “I’m feeling pretty happy about playing in this final against my former team. And I’m not the only one looking forward to it; my teammates too have been preparing well for the match.
“Everyone is fit and available and I think that’s the key thing.
“Both teams have done very well to reach the final. It’s going to be an interesting game for me, playing against Wits. I’m quite confident that with the team we have there’s enough strength to go all the way.
“We need to impose ourselves come Saturday and be ready to work hard for one another. It’s a cup final, so I think everyone will make sure they are fresh and we are fighting for a trophy that we’ve longed for, for quite a long time.”