Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane has expressed the club’s desire to rectify the mistakes made in their last cup final against Orlando Pirates.
The two clubs met in the MTN8 final earlier on in the season, with the Buccaneers emerging victorious via a penalty shoot-out at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
That result came after Pirates had eliminated Sundowns from the same competition over a two-legged semi-final in 2022 as well, something that has not been lost on the Brazilians.
On that windy night in Durban, Pirates clinched their third cup final in the last two seasons, and will now look to defend their Nedbank Cup crown against Sundowns this weekend.
The two teams will meet in a sold-out affair at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Sundowns midfielder Zwane spoke to members of the media ahead of the encounter, and could not hide that he and his teammates were eyeing the opportunity to set the record straight against Pirates.
“This is another opportunity to rectify our mistakes from the previous final, and try to win the game. We as a team are very motivated to play this game,” he said.
“The team is all about making history. It’s our culture in this team, so it’s very important that we collect another trophy for this team and finish the season on a high.
“So, we’re going to go to the game with a positive mind and try to win the game.”
Sundowns have already captured the African Football League (AFL) and DStv Premiership titles this season, and are targeting an unfamiliar treble.
The Chloorkop-based outfit missed out on the CAF Champions League trophy for yet another season, though.
The final game of the season is upon us and Sandawana Supporter Lindo Nkosi joins the panel to look ahead to the unmissable #NedbankCup clash against Orlando Pirates! 🏆
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 29, 2024
New episode out now! 📲 https://t.co/jIXZAusTWu #Sundowns pic.twitter.com/wQCdOleAmi
Sundowns also had their hearts broken last week when they suffered defeat in the final game of the league campaign against Cape Town City, failing to record South Africa’s first ‘Invincibles’ season.
Masandawana are expected to brush off that disappointment, though, and rise to the occasion against a formidable and high-quality Pirates side.
Zwane, who has won 13 trophies in the colours of the Brazilians, spoke about the challenges surrounding managing expectations, as well as performing in high-profile matches over the years.
“It’s difficult … I’m not going to lie. But as a professional player, you understand your job very well and you understand the situations that are around you – and as a leader, you have to be positive.
“Pirates and Sundowns is always a good game to watch, because both teams have good players.”
Ties between these two clubs have captured the imagination and lived up to the billing in terms of entertainment.
Sundowns have had the edge in terms of head-to-head results in all competitions, having won three of their last five encounters against the Sea Robbers.
Fully focused on the final! 🔜#Sundowns #NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/2aerzC1G0E
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 29, 2024
However, one of the most anticipated clashes on the field is expected to be the meeting of two of Tembisa’s finest sons in Zwane and Pirates’ Patrick Maswanganyi in the heart of midfield.
Now heading towards the end of his career, 34-year-old Zwane has seen and done it all in South African football in terms of both team and individual awards.
The experienced maestro had words of encouragement for Maswanganyi, who recently received nominations for Players’ Player of the Season and Premiership Midfielder of the Season.
“Tito is a good player … He’s a boy from my township (Tembisa). The last time I spoke to him, I told him that he was doing well.
“And I’m happy for him. He’s representing the kasi very well. I’m proud of him – that’s all I can say.”