Sundowns on track for ACL semis
By Mark Gleeson
A comprehensive away win for Mamelodi Sundowns in their African Champions League quarter-final first leg last weekend means they should have little trouble advancing to the semi-final.
They host Algeria’s Chabab Belouizdad in the second leg at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, having thoroughly outplayed them last weekend in Algeria and come away with an impressive 4-1 win.
It means they are a banker bet to win in Saturday’s R250,000-added Soccer 10 and a day later South Africa’s other representative in continental competition, Marumo Gallants, also look sure to win and progress to the semi-finals of the African Confederation Cup.
Last Sunday produced a superb away performance from Gallants, who have worked their way off the bottom of the DStv Premiership table in recent weeks. They drew 1-1 with Egyptian big spenders Pyramids and it’s a game they should have won. They squandered many chances and then gave away a last-gasp penalty that enabled their hosts to tie the match.
Sunday’s second leg at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace offers the side from Polokwane a chance to continue their giant-killing run in the competition.
Before that the battle for survival in the DStv Premiership moves into stark focus from tomorrow, when last-placed Maritzburg United visit third-from-bottom Swallows in Dobsonville in Soweto. There is only a three-point gap between the two, meaning that if Maritzburg win they potentially move out of the drop zone.
Maritzburg were most fortunate to force a draw at home last Friday against Richards Bay with a goalkeeping error handing them a last-gasp equaliser. Swallows were thoroughly outplayed on Saturday in their match at Stellenbosch, going down 3-0 on a cold night in the Cape.
Second-from-bottom Chippa United did not play at the weekend, but will also be in action on Freedom Day when they host Kaizer Chiefs at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
It will be a first game under Lehlohonolo Seema, who is the fifth coach that trigger-happy Chippa have employed this season. He returns to a job he has held twice before.
Gallants are also not out of relegation zone and are just above Swallows on goal difference with both clubs on 28 points. Gallants have only three league games left, starting with Maritzburg next Wednesday 3 May.