JERRY Legs of Thunder Sikhosana, the

“” man who scored the goal that is the stuff of legend to win the 1995 CAF Champions Cup for Orlando Pirates says Mamelodi Sundowns need to win the 2016 Champions League so that South African football can start writing a new history.

South African football has been stuck in a loop since Sikhosana scored the famous breakaway goal in Abidjan after two ASEC Mimosas defenders collided and made Pirates champions of Africa a triumph that

‚ set up Bafana Bafana s 1996 Africa Cup of

’ Nations victory. There have been successes such as when

‚ Bafana reached the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. But these became increasingly few as the country s football slipped into the doldrums.

’ Sikhosana and his 1990s generation are nostalgically glorified as a result. He said a victory for Downs in the Champions League final leg tonight in Alexandria where they

‚ take a 3-0 lead against Zamalek can help

‚ local football move on. It s 21 years later and we still keep on “’ talking about the goal somebody scored in 1995 Sikhosana said.

‚” It s another class and another team and “’ they have to make sure they bring that (Champions League) star and the cup.

‚ Remember also that if at club level teams “‚ ‚ do well it also augurs well for the country.”

Downs coach Pitso Mosimane has said he has told his players that in South Africa we still talk about Sikhosana s goal and it is

’ ‚ time for others to enter South African footballing folklore. Sikhosana though does not feel his own

‚ ‚ place in legend is under threat. I m looking forward to a challenge [to that “’ goal] but unfortunately there won t be

’ anyone special because this Sundowns team is more about teamwork than an individual who can score that type of goal he said.

‚” I know I will still be in the history books “as the person who scored the most important goal.”

Sikhosana said he could not see Sundowns losing the final after their commanding victory at Lucas Moripe Stadium in the first leg even if the Egyptian authorities

‚ backtrack on a 20 000-limit to the attendance at the 86 000-seater Borg El Arab Stadium. Honestly speaking to me the game is “‚ over. I mean there s no way Sundowns are

‚ ’ going to lose 4-0. Never the former

‚” Buccaneer said.

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