The clock is winding down, and it is less than 48 hours until Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns treat football lovers to a showdown at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a much-anticipated MTN8 final on Saturday night.
Pirates have dominated the MTN8 in the last four years and will be looking to lift their trophy for a fifth consecutive time. Standing in their way is a strong Mamelodi Sundowns side that is determined to put an end to Pirates’ dominance in the cup competition.
Sundowns seek to overcome MTN8 struggles
Masandwana have not been lucky in the MTN8, having managed to win only one top eight in 18 years, which came back in 2021. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Downs defender Grant Kekana said their recent Fifa African Asian Pacific Cup win will motivate them to end their reign of Pirates in the MTN8.
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“Going into this game, we’re highly motivated because of how we won against Al-Ahli Saudi. It’s going to be important for us to assert ourselves. We are going to leave everything on the field, even if it has to be a piece of our skin,” Kekana said.
“Because we’ve fallen short a few times in this competition. It has sort of been our Achilles heel, but I think the mood and energy in camp is different. We’re all highly motivated and positive about this weekend’s fixture.
Kekana confident of a renewed challenge
“At Sundowns, we don’t play in competitions just to compete. We play in them to dominate. Last season we were unfortunate not to get anything locally, but we have given ourselves a chance, especially at the start of this season. So, we are highly motivated, and the lads are just eager to go.”
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Buccaneers hold psychological edge
The Buccaneers head into the clash with an the upper hand over the Brazilians, following their recent dominance over them in recent knockout meetings. The last time the two sides met in the MTN8 final was in 2023, when Bucs won on penalties after a goalless draw. Pirates also got the better of Sundowns in the 2024 Nedbank Cup final.
“This will be a different game, a different era. You must prepare for it with a lot of ambition and seriousness,” said Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou early in the week.
“These things [referring to winning the last four editions of the MTN8] can help mentally, but the reality will be the match itself and how we attack the match.”
The sold-out final is scheduled to get underway at 6pm.
- Orlando Pirates aim to win their fifth consecutive MTN8 trophy in the final against Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.
- Mamelodi Sundowns have only won the MTN8 once in 18 years, with their sole victory coming in 2021.
- Sundowns defender Grant Kekana expressed high motivation following their recent FIFA African Asian Pacific Cup win and is determined to overcome Pirates in the MTN8.
- Orlando Pirates hold a psychological advantage, having defeated Sundowns in the 2023 MTN8 final on penalties and the 2024 Nedbank Cup final.
- The MTN8 final is sold out and scheduled to start at 6pm.
