Fined Laffor commits to Sundowns
BAFANA Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba should look no further than Mamelodi Sundowns if he wants players to take to war on the continent.
After another victory in the CAF Champions League group phase, Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane punted some of his players for a national team callup, especially Tiyani Mabunda who has been performing well in the competition.
Sundowns beat Zamalek 2-1 in Cairo on Sunday to take a step closer to the semifinal and Mabunda was one of the star performers, scoring the opening goal for the visitors.
“We need to take the Champions League seriously because it provides the national team with opportunities in terms of players. Sugar [Mabunda] can play in Cairo and he matches that level. So now Shakes knows that Mabunda is there. Yes, you have [Dean] Furman, Andile [Jali], you have Keke [Hlompho Kekana] and you have Bongani Zungu, but talent is there [in Mabunda]. There’s Keagan [Dolly] on the left,” said Mosimane.
“[Tebogo] Langerman went to Gambia [with Bafana last month]. I am not saying he is the best, but it tells us we are safe. It’s not only [Thabo] Matlaba, there’s Langerman as well.
“If you have a problem at centre back, Thabo [Nthethe] is there. He played against ES Setif, no problem. He played against Enyimba, no problem. He played against Zamalek, no problem. Those are big teams... We have enough, just come here [to Sundowns].”
Mosimane said South African teams were beginning to show that it is possible to win anywhere on the continent. Sundowns are top of Group B on six points, Orlando Pirates have performed well in continental club competitions recently, while Bafana are performing much better away from home under Mashaba.
“The gap is closing. We can go to Cairo and win. We can go to Setif and win. I believe we can go to Nigeria and win. We need to provide South Africa with a positive mindset and show them it’s possible to win anywhere.”
Downs host Zamalek at Lucas Moripe Stadium, knowing victory will ensure they finish top of the group, giving them the advantage of playing the second leg of the semifinal at home. ANTHONY Laffor has pledged his commitment to Mamelodi Sundowns and says he respects the club and its decisions. This is after he was fined by Sundowns for his failure to return to training on time after international duty with Liberia last month. The 31-yearold has smoked the peace pipe with Downs and returned to the pitch as a starter in Sundowns’ 2-1 victory over Zamalek in Cairo on Sunday. “There’s no beef between me and the coach (Pitso Mosimane). Things happen in every football team and we handled it professionally. Everything is okay,” said Laffor, who was linked with a move away from Sundowns, as both Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs expressed an interest in him. “I am contracted to Sundowns and talk of me leaving was just rumour. I need to concentrate on my contract. I need to do everything that the club wants me to do. I am committed to Sundowns. I respect the club and I respect their decisions. I am a professional, so I need to focus on my career. “I want to thank the coach for believing in me and my teammates for their support [in the game against Zamalek]. It was not easy.” Laffor dreams of playing in the Champions League final but has warned that Sundowns need to keep their feet on the ground. They are on six points after two matches. “It was not easy in Egypt, but the most important thing is that we got the three points. It was a big win,” he said. “My hope is for us to get to the final, but we need to keep our feet on the ground and be humble. We need to respect our opponents and follow the example that was set by Orlando Pirates.”