Mamelodi Sundowns can inspire the nation with CAF Champions League triumph, says Ronwen Williams

The Star

a day ago

Mihlali Baleka | Published 1 hour ago
Mamelodi Sundowns' players have been the epitome of success in domestic football in the last nine years, inspiring every emerging youngster to dare to dream
And that's why they want to add another feather in their cap by conquering the continent yet again to instil even more belief in future prospects.
Sundowns recently won their eighth successive Premiership crown, ensuring they are the best club in the PSL era with 15 titles.
As such, that made the dreams a reality of players, coaches and staff who wanted to join football so that they can win league titles over the years.
Before the success came, Sundowns were infamously known for ending careers, with players said to be joining the club for big pay-cheques, only to sit in the stands.
But thanks to the arrival of coach Pitso Mosimane more than a decade ago, players have since wanted to join the club to win trophies and play among the best teams in Africa.
Under the reign of Mosimane, Sundowns' players achieved all forms of success, winning the Premiership and CAF Champions League, and playing in the Club World Cup.
However, while the local success continued under Mosimane's successors, Rulani Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi, it didn't come full circle on the continent.
Enter Miguel Cardoso, and the script may change this season.
The Portuguese mentor has led his team to the Champions League final for the first time since Mosimane triumphed in 2016.
Sundowns had a mild start in the first leg of the continental showdown at home, drawing 1-1 with Pyramids FC, who took an away goal to the second leg in Cairo on Sunday night (7pm).
That was a setback for the Brazilians as they conceded late in Pretoria through Walid El Karti, after Lucas Ribeiro Costa had put them in the driving seat in the second half.
But such is the team's never-say-die attitude that Ronwen Williams, speaking to SuperSport TV yesterday, painted a picture of what it would mean to rule the continent yet again.
'It will mean so much – the world. I honestly can't express how it'll feel at that moment. I just know what it'd do for the country and youth of South Africa,' the Bafana Bafana captain said.
'When people have success, you resonate with them.
'Interestingly, a few years ago, there was no success in South African sport, but back-to-back Rugby (World Cup) championships inspired us.
'We had a wonderful Afcon (with Bafana), and now you see the cricket, athletics, Under-17 and Under-20 (men's national teams) are also doing well.
'I think it just needs one team to trigger, do it, and show us all that it is possible.
'I think with us doing that, (it) will even give the youth in our country extra motivation.
'They'll start believing that they can do greater things. So for me, the inspiring side is one of the reasons I want us to lift the Champions League!'
One of the youngsters who could live a first-hand experience of winning the continental crown is defender Malibongwe Khoza, 21, who remembers the 2016 triumph.
'It's my first season here, and the last time they won the Champions League was in 2016 when I joined Sundowns (as a teenager),' Khoza told Masandawana TV this week.
'So it (winning the Champions League) would mean a lot to me, my family and ikasi lam (my township), Mamelodi. I am representing everyone from eKasi.'
The majority of the Ka Bo Yellow (Sundowns fans) will not be able to follow the team to Cairo, and cheer them on like they did when they sold-out Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.
But Khoza, who'll be eager to make his mark and help the team in Cairo, says they'll be banking on their supporters' backing from a distance.
'It's unfortunate that we didn't do it here at home, but we still need them (the Yellow Nation). We need them to support us,' Khoza continued.
'We are going to play for them, the club and the badge.
'So, we still need them, even when we are as far as Cairo.'