Staff Reporter.
Mamelodi Sundowns and holders Marumo Gallants go in hunt of Nedbank Cup glory when they contest the 2022 final at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Saturday, bringing the curtain down on their seasons.
Gallants lifted the trophy last year when they defeated Chippa United 1-0 in the final, while Sundowns were winners the year before that as they ousted Bloemfontein Celtic with the same scoreline.
It means there will be repeat success for one of the two sides, with Gallants looking to become just the second team to claim back-to-back Nedbank Cup title wins after SuperSport United in 2016 and 2017.
They are already winners in a sense in that whatever happens in the decider, they will once again represent South Africa in the CAF Confederation Cup next season, with Sundowns to compete in the CAF Champions League.
The Brazilians are seeking a fourth title since they won the inaugural Nedbank Cup in 2008, having since added wins in 2015 and 2020.
But while they may carry the favourites tag, co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi is under no illusions as to the task at hand.
“This is going to be one of the most difficult matches,” he said. “When doing video analysis, we realised that the most important thing we need to do is have respect for the game and opponents.
“We must understand that the game of football does not owe us anything. We are up against a very good team. They have a lot of players who are capable of playing for Sundowns.
“I have experienced most of them and the fierce battle in this game will be in the midfield. Miguel Timm is important for them there and has a full range of passes. Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo and Celimpilo Ngema are very instrumental in the space between the midfield and defence. They are a decent and interesting team to watch.
“The good thing about games between Sundowns and teams that are coached by Dan Dance [Malesela] is that the teams are both ultra-offensive and they are teams that don’t sit back. We will be going all out and that makes it a very interesting game for the spectators.”
Sundowns are racing to get a number of their key players fit after a flu virus ravaged the squad for Monday’s 3-2 league victory at Royal AM. It might be touch-and-go for a number of players right up to the day of the match.
Gallants’ winner in last year’s final was scored by Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo and he is confident his side can cause a surprise, emphasising they should not be overawed by the task at hand.
“Last year we played the final and we won, this year we stand a chance of winning it again. It’s possible for us to win it again, it’s a great motivation for us to do it for the second time in a row,” Ndlondlo said.
“No-one is giving us a chance. It’s good to have that, for the opponent it will be giving them pressure because they are the league champions and people expect them to win.”[Defending the title] will require us to dig deep as a team and fight for one another because we are playing the best team in the country.”
Ndlondlo says he expects to be a marked man, having emerged as Gallants’ top scorer this season with 10 goals, as well as being the creative fulcrum of the side.
“They’ll be looking forward to closing me down, which is something that will help the team. They’ll be focused on me but there will be other players in the team that can give them problems,” the diminutive midfielder said.
The two league meetings between the sides this season were contrasting in their nature, as Sundowns romped to a thumping 4-0 away win in November, but then a month later were held to a 1-1 home draw.
Malesela had not joined Gallants yet for their heavy defeat and it was noticeable how much better organised they were for the return fixture once he was in the dug-out.
He is hoping to extend his remarkable record in the competition that has seen him lose just three out of 22 Nedbank Cup games in which he has been coached.
There is something about the Nedbank Cup and Malesela that brings out the best of him, with five semifinal appearances and that oh-so-sweet title three years ago.
By contrast, Sundowns co-coaches Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena have yet to lift the trophy as head coaches, having twice before done so as assistants under Pitso Mosimane.
Victory will also move Sundowns to four wins since 2008, and one ahead of Tshwane rivals SuperSport United (3) as the most successful side in the competition over the last 15 years.
Only Sundowns, SuperSport and Orlando Pirates (2 wins) are multiple victors in the Nedbank Cup, but Gallants can join that exclusive group.