Latest news with #Kekana
IOL News
2 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Five key players that can guide Mamelodi Sundowns to their Champions League dream
LUCAS Ribeiro leads the list of match winners for the Mamelodi Sundowns side that need to make sure to score in the Caf Champions League semi-final. | BackpagePix Image: BACKPAGEPIX Mamelodi Sundowns are preparing for what could be the most defining match in the club's illustrious history as they travel to Cairo to face Pyramids FC in the decisive second leg of the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League final at the 30 June Stadium (kick-off 7pm). With the tie finely balanced following a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium last week, the Brazilians know the stakes couldn't be higher. Now needing to take the initiative away from home, head coach Miguel Cardoso will be leaning on several of his top performers to deliver when it matters most. Below, we highlight five pivotal players who has the mettle to lead Sundowns to their second CAF Champions League triumph. Grant Kekana ISITOBHA seMamelodi Sundowns, uGrant Kekana, sibalwa nabadlali leli qembu elizothembela kubona ukuqhubeka nokwenza kahle emqhudelwaneni iCaf Champions League Image: BACKPAGEPIX Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ A key figure in Sundowns' defensive unit, Kekana has been instrumental in both their domestic success and their progression to the Champions League final. The experienced center-back has displayed consistency and leadership throughout the campaign, but he will now face one of the sternest examinations of his career. Although Sundowns managed to win the majority of aerial duels in the first leg, they were undone by a single cross that found its way past the defense, resulting in a crucial away goal for Pyramids. With the Egyptian side known for their reliance on wide play and dangerous deliveries into the box, Kekana's positional awareness and command in the air will be vital in neutralising that threat. Iqraam Rayners MAMELODI Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners looking to add his name in Caf Champions League history. | BackpagePix Image: backpagePix Iqraam Rayners has been in impressive form in recent games, and his relentless desire to find the back of the net could exactly be the spark the visitors need to regain control in this high-stakes encounter. The Bafana Bafana forward has netted three goals in his last 10 outings, and with his team in a must-score situation to keep their Champions League dream alive, it will be essential for him to deliver one of his sharpest performances yet. Musa Lebusa UMusa Lebusa uthi iMamelodi Sundowns ikulungele ukuqubisana nePyramids emdlalweni weCAF Champions League emalanga ngoMgqibelo, eLoftus Stadium. Image: Facebook Musa Lebusa may not always get the headlines, but his contribution at the back has been invaluable for the Brazilians. A dependable and composed defender, his center-back partnership with Kekana has formed a solid foundation that nearly earned them a first-leg win— with only four minutes of added time separating them from carrying an advantage to Egypt. Now, with Pyramids' dangermen Fiston Mayele and first-leg goalscorer Walid El Karti set to be on full-on attack, Lebusa's task will be to maintain composure and execute with precision and help guide his side to as little goals as possible. Lucas Ribeiro Costa Lucas Ribeiro Costa of Mamelodi Sundowns. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Golden Boot winner in the Betway Premiership and by a mile Sundowns' standout player this season, Lucas Ribeiro Costa has consistently delivered in key moments. His ability to rise to the occasion has been a driving force behind the team's league success, and Cardoso will be counting on him to produce a similar spark on Sunday. Costa's goal in the first leg has kept the tie alive, and with just 90 minutes separating Sundowns from making South African football history by becoming the first club to win the CAF Champions League twice, the spotlight will be firmly on him, and his creativity and finishing could very well be the difference. Jayden Adams UJayden Adams ngomnye wabadlali eza kuthembela kubo iMamelodi Sundowns xa idibana neAl Ahly emdlalweni weCAF Champions League emalanga namhlanje ePitoli. Image: Backpagepix
CAF
3 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Confident Khoza gearing up for the final stretch in Cairo
As the stage shifts to Cairo for the decisive second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final, Mamelodi Sundowns are brimming with belief as they prepare to face Pyramids FC on Sunday, 1 June. The first leg, played in Pretoria on Saturday, 24 May, ended in a thrilling 1-1 stalemate, leaving everything to play for in the Egyptian capital. Both teams will be eyeing a strong start as they look to seize control early in what promises to be a fiercely contested decider. Sundowns, champions in 2016, are aiming to lift their second continental title and cement their status as one of Africa's elite clubs. Their experience and composure at this level could be key as they step into a cauldron-like atmosphere in Cairo. On the other side, Pyramids FC will be chasing history, hoping to emulate Egyptian powerhouses Al Ahly and Zamalek by claiming their first TotalEnergies CAF Champions League crown. Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated encounter, Sundowns defender Grant Kekana expressed confidence in his side's preparation and tactical approach: 'We are very confident in our team. Of course, it was a tough match in the first leg but I think we're going to do very well. We know what we're going to do. We know how they will play. It's more of a team that stays at the back. We know how we're going to exploit the spaces. We're going to support each other and go forward', said Kekana. With a strong defensive unit, a dynamic midfield, and clinical finishers, Sundowns will look to stay compact against a Pyramids side known for their discipline and quick transitions as evidently seen in their last gasp come-back in Pretoria. With everything on the line, Sunday's clash promises to be a captivating contest between two teams chasing glory.
IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Hlompho Kekana positive Mamelodi Sundowns can claim CAF Champions League glory
Hlompho Kekana is confident that Mamelodi Sundowns can clinch the CAF Champions League title. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Hlompho Kekana says that Mamelodi Sundowns have what it takes to win the club's second CAF Champions League title when they come up against Pyramids FC in the second leg of the final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday (7pm kick-off). The Brazilians will head to Egypt's capital slightly on the back foot due to the away-goals rule, after playing out to a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday. Sundowns clinched the tournament in 2016, and they are looking to be the first South African side to win the competition twice, after Orlando Pirates became the first club to emerge victorious in 1995. The Buccaneers were also tasked with the difficult situation of having to go to ASEC Mimosas, having played out to a 2-2 draw against the Ivorians at the FNB Stadium, and a Jerry Sikhosana winner at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium was enough to hand them a 3-2 victory. Sundowns, on the other hand, went through a different route in their first leg in 2016, as they stamped their authority early against Egyptian giants Zamalek, securing a 3-0 lead, and only conceded a 1-0 defeat in the second leg. Ex-captain Kekana believes his former side have all the tools to bring back a positive result. 'I have a strong belief that the boys have what it takes to go to Cairo and win this football match,' Kekana said ahead of the second leg of the final. 'It was a very tricky first leg. They took the lead, but conceded at the very end, which, for me, when I looked at the match, I was not worried, because I felt they had control. 'But this is the Champions League; you cannot take it for granted, not even for one second, because we saw what happened right at the end. 'But I am sure they are aware of what is to come, because they have played difficult matches before. 'They need to go for a kill and win this one, because it will be very important to put another star on top of that jersey.' Kekana was part of the team that won the tournament in 2016, and he added that tapping into history a bit more might motivate them to have greater belief. 'It's important that we tap into those memories because they will help us, because we always know that football is a game of reference,' he said. 'You always have to look back at what worked for you and what you did in the past to get to certain stages. 'It still excites me to see the pictures from the 2016 team lifting the trophy, and it will give the players the motivation to say that it's doable, because that team managed to do it.' The 37-year-old believes that getting off to a fast start will also be crucial to settling some nerves. 'If you score early, then you break the ice, and you play with less stress,' Kekana said. 'Cairo is always a difficult space to go in. An early goal could turn the whole complexion of the match, and it would be nice if we scored early.'
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Former Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana urges players to go for the kill against Pyramids
Former Mamelodi Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana says they must go for the kill in the second leg of the Champions League final against Pyramids FC in Cairo on Sunday. The Brazilians and Pyramids are tied 1-1 after the forst leg at Loftus and they will do it again at the 30 June Stadium where a winner must be produced and Kekana, who lifted the trophy in 2016, said they must go for an early goal to put their hosts under pressure. 'They must go for the kill, they need to win this match because it is going to be important to put the second star on the jersey,' he said during an event where Carling Black Label was officially been named the South African beer sponsor of the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup. 'In a game of football there are moments where, as a team like Sundowns that has been in the space for too long, you understand the demands. The Champions League is like a chess game. 'How you normally play at home is not how you play at home. You are playing teams that are the same level as you are and that is always difficult.'
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Amajita hero Kekana praises teamwork for goal that won SA the U-20 Afcon
Amajita's U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final hero Gomolemo Kekana, 18, is in no rush to play top-flight football, insisting he's still developing. He said his focus is on trying to return to his best shape after a long layoff last year. Kekana is on the books of Mamelodi Sundowns' DStv Diski Challenge team and has trained with the senior Brazilians on a few occasions. He engraved his name in South African football folklore by scoring the goal that saw Amajita beat Morocco 1-0 in the U-20 Afcon final in Cairo this month. 'God's timing is forever perfect, so I won't rush the process,' Kekana said. 'I am trusting the process without putting pressure on myself to say now I must play for the first team. 'I will continue to work hard and it's up to the coaches to decide whether to promote me. I am not in a rush. I've come from a long-term injury last year, so my focus is to accumulate as many minutes as I can to return to my best shape.'
