Forget all the local rivalry because this is about earning the PSL brand the respect that it surely deserves and proving that this a league capable of regularly providing teams that can reach the group stages and exchange blows with anyone on the continent.
In as much as it will be the name Mamelodi Sundowns progressing to the much-desired group stages if the aggregate favours The Brazilians tonight, this is also more for the good of the PSL and maintaining the high rankings that come with holding the privilege of being amongst the 12 countries on the continent able to enter two teams in this competition.
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Orlando Pirates have handed Sundowns the baton of convincing the continent that you can also stand up with pride on the urinal amongst other African boys.
Pirates provided reason to believe that this can be done and now this is your turn Masandawana to show Africa that the PSL is not just glitz and glamour, but can back up its claim as being one of the best on the continent.
Right now the PSL is desperately crying out loud to have a team consistently reaching the last 8 every year, and with Bucs having shown the courage, The Brazilians now need to step up, especially at the back of Kaizer Chiefs shaming the PSL in this competition.
If Pirates stand as the only team to reach the group stages of the Champions League in the last 10 years then that reflects badly on the PSL.
Any team that enters the CAF Champions League on a PSL ticket – a league that constantly tells the world that it is the richest on the continent – then it must also measure up by proving its value on the field.
When that team doesn’t reach the group stages it should be considered a failure and a disgrace if it’s any one of the Big Three as they will have done no justice to a league that regularly makes noise about its sponsorship, television coverage and facilities.
In this competition, South African clubs should be measuring their strengths against clubs from Tunisia, Egypt, DR Congo and Algeria instead of Swaziland, Comoros, Ethiopia and Namibia.
That said, if Pitso Mosimane could guide SuperSport United into the group stages of the same competition in 2004, why can he not do the same at a club with bigger ambitions and better quality players?
Mosimane has made it known that he really wants to compete and have a go against the big boys on the continent – so Masandawana and the rest of Mzansi please help him out by providing the numbers in the stands.
It doesn’t have to be numbers as huge as those that were in Kinshasa for the first leg, when almost 50 000 people were crammed into the Stade Tata Raphael, but just make sure there are less empty seats in the 28 900-seater Lucas Moripe Stadium tonight.
Just know that overturning a solitary goal from that first leg away in Kinshasa against an ordinary looking AS Vita Club is not impossible.
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For all the talk about Vita being quality, they just didn’t look terrifying at all in the first leg and were far from convincing, so The Brazilians can surely get past this hurdle.
It is also about time that Sundowns repaid their boss Patrice Motsepe for all the money that he has spent at this club since taking over a dozen years ago.
This can definitely be done Masandawana.
You can definitely reach the group stages.
You can definitely walk on thorns and still come out without tears like sissies because you are not cry-babies.
This is where you earn respect.
This is where you gain pride.
This where the big boys play! Just be brave Masandawana.
You can also count on your home form this season that has seen you win 15 and only lose to Bloemfontein Celtic in 19 games at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Come on Masandawana, this can be done.
Ha nkeke ra fela matla!