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Former Mamelodi Sundowns star Josta Dladla was confident that the winning trend of the Brazilians was sure to continue during the team’s match against their rivals Supersport United during the second-leg of the MTN 8 competition at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday night.
The last five matches between Pretoria’s two football giants, Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United, have resulted in two stalemates, two victories for the former and one win for Supersport.
Speaking to City Press about the much-anticipated match, which will determine the team to play Highlands Park in the finals, Dladla unsurprisingly rooted for the team he once called home, stating that The Brazilians were going to win this year’s MTN 8 competition.
“It is not only because I played for the team but these guys have been playing brilliant football. I am not taking anything away from Supersport United but they will be playing against a team that has more experience,” he told City Press.
Having made history by defeating Polokwane City in the second leg of the MTN 8 semi finals on Tuesday night, Highlands Park now wait in anticipation of tonight’s match where their opponent will be decided.
Dladla spoke about some of Supersport’s weaknesses saying that they can be punished if these are exploited.
“Supersport has a weakness of losing concentration as well as the ball at the back and when you play against a team like Sundowns, expect to be punished for such mistakes.”
However, he also noted that it would not be smooth sailing for his beloved Sundowns.
He said: “Sundowns must also realise that for Supersport, a team with players like Bradley Grobler, who is a sniper at the front, as well as Thamsanqa Gabuza, who wants to prove a point, they cannot settle down and relax at the back.”
As expected, his counterpart Jabu Pule – who last played for Supersport United – emphasised how Matsatsantsa, as Supersport is affectionately known, would be the team “lifting the Wafa-Wafa Trophy at the end of the competition”.
“I disagree with Josta. If you look at the statistics from the last four or five years, Supersport has played more cup finals than any of the other teams in the PSL. Supersport has consistently been in the final match of [cup competetions],” he said.
“In last year’s MTN 8 competition we [Supersport United] were runners up and we lost on penalties.”
“This year we will not only be in the finals but we will ensure that we record a win and bring the trophy home,” Pule added.
“We know that it is not going to be easy because we will be playing against a quality team.”
The former Kaizer Chiefs legend corroborated Dladla’s sentiment and said that Supersport had a lot of work to do in the back.
“Things are not going to be easy for us because we are playing against a quality team but as much as they are strong in the middle and upfront, they are not that stable at the back and we are going to capitalise on that,” he said.
“Overall it is going to be a great game of football because in the end there must be a winner in this second leg because it was clear in the first leg of the tournament that both teams were being too cautious.”
As the two friends jokingly tell each other how their respective teams will win tonight’s match. Dladla lets out a smile and quickly reminds Pule: “We have the advantage, don’t forget that.”
This after the two teams met in the semi-final, first leg of the tournament earlier this month, ending the game in a one-all-draw, giving Sundowns an advantage after scoring an away goal.
However, Pule is not deterred and quickly responds: “We are not focusing on that. If you [Sundowns] do not score and we score that advantage will have meant nothing. This is a new game.”
“And honestly, if you look at the first leg we should have scored more goals in that match. We have managed to identify Sundowns’ weaknesses and that is what we will be focusing on.”
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