Matsatsantsa are a goal down following last weekend’s 2-1 first leg CAF Confederation Cup final defeat to TP Mazembe, yet are still well in contention to lift their maiden continental crown ahead of Saturday evening’s second leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The Pretoria club have time and time again – six times to be exact – shown fighting spirit this campaign to score when needed, either salvaging a draw or turning the game/tie on its head to advance to the next round.
It started at the very first hurdle back in February, when SuperSport started the journey with a goalless draw against Madagascan side Elgeco Plus. Needing a win in the return fixture to ensure their CAF quest didn’t end after just two games, Matsatsantsa delivered as Jeremy Brockie scored the club’s first goal on the continent in almost three years, while Fagrie Lakay netted the eventual and crucial winner in their 2-1 victory to ensure the club’s progression to the first round qualifiers.
They next faced Sudanese side Al Ahly Shendi, yet things didn’t go according to plan after the first leg in Shendi as the Tshwane club went down 3-2. Yet as they did in the previous round, SuperSport upped their game to record a 4-0 win in the second leg, to advance 6-3 on aggregate in the end.
After making it to the group stages, SuperSport were up against it in their very first Group D encounter against Horoya from Guinea. Going a goal down just after the half-hour mark, Keegan Ritchie’s stunning free-kick levelled matters, yet Matsatsantsa found themselves a goal down again just six minutes into the second half as Sebe Baffour put the visitors in front once more. The hosts would not give in however, as Thuso Phala’s strike seven minutes from time ensured a crucial point for his side as they narrowly escaped the jaws of defeat.
Two months later, SuperSport had one game left in the group stages which they needed to win, as they sat third in the group. And win they did, in handsome fashion, thrashing Mounana 4-1 on the day to ensure second spot in the group, and a place in the knockout stages.
It could have all ended in the quarter-finals, SuperSport minutes away from elimination against Zesco United: following a goalless draw in South Africa, Matsatsantsa were trailing 2-1 when the fourth official raised his board to signal stoppage time. Yet once again it was Phala to the rescue, the winger firing home at the far post in the 92nd minute to clinch a 2-2 draw as his side advanced to the last four on the away goals rule.
SuperSport once again didn’t make it easy for themselves in the semi-finals as Tunisian side Club Africain scored a vital away goal in the first leg 1-1 draw in Pretoria. The South African club needed an away win, or high-scoring draw, to book their final berth, and for the sixth time this campaign, fought back against the odds to record a 3-1 victory at Stade Olympiques de Rades to progress to the final.
Ahead of the second leg final, SuperSport will find solace in their home form in the CAF Confederation Cup so far this campaign: they’re unbeaten on South African soil, winning four and drawing four, though the latter will not be useful come Saturday night.
In coach Eric Tinkler, SuperSport have a mentor who knows all about rallying his charges. Tinkler was at the helm for both the Zesco and Club Africain results, and has a memorable come-from-behind Confederation Cup win to boast about in his previous campaign, as he guided Orlando Pirates to a thrilling 4-3 victory against Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the semi-finals of the 2015 edition.
SuperSport’s last trophy, the MTN8 crown they won last month, also required fighting spirit, having to come back from a goal down before taking the game to penalties and ultimately lifting the trophy.
SuperSport are up against it once more heading into Saturday’s final, but have shown that being a goal down, either during a game or after a reverse fixture, is no need for panic.Cool heads and goal-scoring boots will be the order of the day once again this weekend, in what could be the most important comeback in SuperSport history.