Sundowns legend and former skipper Hlompho Kekana gives defence kingpin Mothobi Mvala some tips for the final second leg of the Caf Champions League match in Cairo, Egypt. Photo: Sipho Siso

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One of Mamelodi Sundowns’ outstanding club legends and midfield maestro Hlompho Kekana has attributed the club’s success both locally and in continental football to the decade-long exposure to the Caf Champions League.

Speaking in an interview at the club’s unveiling of a partnership with Carling Black Label for the upcoming second edition of the Fifa Club World Cup in the United States of America ahead of the second leg of the final of champions league in Cairo, Egypt, on May 31, Kekana said both the club world cup and champions league tournaments were instrumental to the success being enjoyed by the Brazilians today in many fronts of the beautiful game.

“Our decade-long participation in the champions league has paid dividends to our current success and the upcoming final leg of this cup competition in Cairo is there for the taking, only if our current crop of players stick to the game plan, shut the door for the home side and play their own flair of attacking football and not forget their striking boots at home, we will win the much desired second star,” said the former star-winning skipper Kekana.

“For Sundowns, every continental and world tournament we’re involved in is always a learning curve. We always want to take lessons from those tournaments, and I trust that our boys will also take useful lessons from our second edition participation in the club world cup.

“Those lessons are vital not just for the development and growth of Mamelodi Sundowns but the entire South African and continental football scene. I can assure you that we learnt hard lessons in the first edition of the club world cup tournament in Japan and the current crop must do the same when they come face-to-face with giants of world football such as Brazil, Germany, Spain and others.

“There is a lot to take home from those giants to improve our local game. It is no wonder our football has shown phenomenal growth over a couple of years. We ran short of an all-South African final of the Caf Champions League this year when our
brothers, Orlando Pirates, fell short in the semi-final game after beating everybody in the tournament.

“Our U17 side, Amajita, have just won the Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] tournament and paved their way to participate in the U17 Fifa World Cup. Banyana Banyana are champions of the African Women’s Cup of Nations and are on target to defend that
title in the upcoming months.

We just need to seize the opportunity and continue togrow our football,” said the influential Kekana who’s also an analyst of the game inone of the local TV stations. On the upcoming second leg of the champions league final against Pyramids FC of Egypt, Kekana, a scorer of many goals of note in his long and illustrious career, said Sundowns may have drawn 1-1 on May 24 in Pretoria but the final is still theirs to lose.

“I don’t see anything standing in their way to hammer the Egyptian side in their own backyard as we have done in many away games of this tournament over many years. The boys just need to focus and be mental aware of what is at stake and do their utmost to make, not only the Yellow Nation, but the entire country and football lovers proud to be South African,” Kekana said.

All roads lead to Cairo and those who cannot travel will have their eyes glued on the TV set and their fingers crossed for a second star for the Yellow Machine, as Sundowns are revered by its fans.

Sundowns legend and former skipper Hlompho Kekana believes attaining a second Caf Champions League star is achievable in Cairo once again. Photo: Sipho Siso