Sundowns’ feat inspire locals
South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, who have been regular visitors to Namibia in recent years, conquered Africa on Sunday.
HECTOR MAWONGA
South African club Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday became only the second team from the Southern African region to win the CAF Champions League.
While the team lost 1-0 to Egypt’s Zamalek in Alexandria, Sundowns had won 3-0 in Pretoria a week prior to the match for a comprehensive 3-1 aggregate win.
They joined fellow South African team Orlando Pirates, who claimed the accolade in 1995, as a football club to have won Africa’s top club competition from the region.
Sundowns built their success on the back of a selection of players that included some of the best from the region like Zimbabwe’s Khama Billiat.
In years gone by, several Namibians have also donned the colours of the Pretoria outfit with the likes of goalkeeper Ronnie Kanalelo and the left-footed pair of Sydney Plaatjies and Mogale Naruseb having turned out for ‘Masandawana’.
While no Namibian was part of Sundowns’ team on Sunday, their victory did not go unnoticed locally, especially since the South African side has been a guest at the Hage Geingob Cup for the last three editions.
No surprise
Tigers mentor Brian Isaacs and his team faced Sundowns during this year’s edition of the cup named after Namibia’s president.
“It was an honour to represent Namibia as a team to play the South African champions at the time,” he said of his team’s 4-2 loss in the final of the pre-season tournament.
“I want to congratulate them because they have worked hard throughout, even if they had a second chance… it is good that a team from Southern Africa has won because it is always the North and West that win it,” he added.
Woody Jacobs, who twice played against Sundowns in the Hage Geingob Cup while coaching African Stars, said that it was not a surprise that the South African club conquered.
“It didn’t come as a surprise because I saw the quality they have every time we faced them. They’ve come a long way… everything just came together for them. So I have to say big ups to them,” he told Namibian Sun.
Difference in levels
Both mentors have led sides in African club competitions. Isaacs led Black Africa during the 2014 CAF Champions League while Jacobs has had excursions into Africa with Civics (2006 Champions League) and African Stars (2014 CAF Confederations Cup).
Both agree that playing in that sort of competition has positive spinoffs for local footballers.
“When Sundowns were here, we gave them a good run for their money and it shows that our football standard is not that bad, if only the corporate companies can help in funding… And I can tell you, it is a huge exposure for us as coaches as well as the individual players,” Isaacs said.
Jacobs insists that while Namibia has undoubted talent, the investment in developing that talent leaves a lot to be desired.
“In a Namibian context, we don’t take football seriously when you compare what other teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa put in. Competing in these tournaments will aid our football but only if we can get to the group stages,” he said.
South African club Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday became only the second team from the Southern African region to win the CAF Champions League.
While the team lost 1-0 to Egypt’s Zamalek in Alexandria, Sundowns had won 3-0 in Pretoria a week prior to the match for a comprehensive 3-1 aggregate win.
They joined fellow South African team Orlando Pirates, who claimed the accolade in 1995, as a football club to have won Africa’s top club competition from the region.
Sundowns built their success on the back of a selection of players that included some of the best from the region like Zimbabwe’s Khama Billiat.
In years gone by, several Namibians have also donned the colours of the Pretoria outfit with the likes of goalkeeper Ronnie Kanalelo and the left-footed pair of Sydney Plaatjies and Mogale Naruseb having turned out for ‘Masandawana’.
While no Namibian was part of Sundowns’ team on Sunday, their victory did not go unnoticed locally, especially since the South African side has been a guest at the Hage Geingob Cup for the last three editions.
No surprise
Tigers mentor Brian Isaacs and his team faced Sundowns during this year’s edition of the cup named after Namibia’s president.
“It was an honour to represent Namibia as a team to play the South African champions at the time,” he said of his team’s 4-2 loss in the final of the pre-season tournament.
“I want to congratulate them because they have worked hard throughout, even if they had a second chance… it is good that a team from Southern Africa has won because it is always the North and West that win it,” he added.
Woody Jacobs, who twice played against Sundowns in the Hage Geingob Cup while coaching African Stars, said that it was not a surprise that the South African club conquered.
“It didn’t come as a surprise because I saw the quality they have every time we faced them. They’ve come a long way… everything just came together for them. So I have to say big ups to them,” he told Namibian Sun.
Difference in levels
Both mentors have led sides in African club competitions. Isaacs led Black Africa during the 2014 CAF Champions League while Jacobs has had excursions into Africa with Civics (2006 Champions League) and African Stars (2014 CAF Confederations Cup).
Both agree that playing in that sort of competition has positive spinoffs for local footballers.
“When Sundowns were here, we gave them a good run for their money and it shows that our football standard is not that bad, if only the corporate companies can help in funding… And I can tell you, it is a huge exposure for us as coaches as well as the individual players,” Isaacs said.
Jacobs insists that while Namibia has undoubted talent, the investment in developing that talent leaves a lot to be desired.
“In a Namibian context, we don’t take football seriously when you compare what other teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa put in. Competing in these tournaments will aid our football but only if we can get to the group stages,” he said.
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