Victory gives SA much needed mettle
IKNOW everybody is thinking it, so I am just going to come out and say it – suddenly an African Champions League medal is a much sought after commodity.
Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns, by the way. Their achievement on Sunday night, when they beat Egyptian giants Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate to clinch the continent’s premier club competition, will surely linger in memory for years to come.
It’s no secret that South African clubs have a misguided view about the Champions League, but that is all about to change. Is it because a local boy – Pitso Mosimane – was the man in charge of the Brazilians? You be the judge, but the fact remains that Kaizer Chiefs, Bidvest Wits and to a lesser extent, maybe even SuperSport United, will be raring to go early next year when the 2017 edition kicks off.
Along with Sundowns, Wits will represent the country from February. SuperSport and Platinum Stars have cracked the nod for the less prestigious CAF Confederation Cup.
The Brazilians’ success has put everyone under pressure. It’s no longer a readily available excuse for coaches to claim that the CAF schedule will be too demanding on their players to seriously compete on the domestic and continental front.
That ship has sailed now that not only Orlando Pirates (1995), but Sundowns as well, can brag about being Africa’s best.
You know what else excites me about having another SA club winning this title? We can let Jerry Sikhosana finally retire in peace. The former Pirates striker has been the poster boy for Champions League success having scored the winning goal for the Buccaneers against ASEC Abidjan in the second leg of the 1995 final after the first leg between the two sides ended in a 2-2 draw. As one scribe eloquently put it on Sunday night: “We now have a fresh reference”.
Sikhosana was called-up as a TV analyst for the Sundowns game and spent much of his time reminiscing on that great strike. Get some rest Bra Jerry, you’ve earned it. Let the new generation give us a new perspective on what it means to win a Champions League medal, especially in the modern era and having done it against Zamalek – the five time winners of this very competition.