Sundowns out to turn around their CAF CL fortunes

Mzikayise Mashaba of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates a goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Black Aces on 24 February 2016 at Lucas Moripe Stadium Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix

   Mamelodi Sundowns will target a turnaround in their CAF Champions League Preliminary Round tie when they host Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe in the second leg.

Kick-off at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Tshwane is set for 20h15 on Saturday.


The first leg did not go well for the South Africans, as they lost 1-0 in Bulawayo. Mitchell Katsvairo scored the only goal 34 minutes into the game to hand the Brazilians their first loss in any competitive match since September last year.

The second leg be an uphill battle for ‘Downs, but they have the class and firepower to turn this tie around. Look no further than their home form in the domestic league for inspiration: they are unbeaten in 10 matches as hosts and have claimed 26 points from a possible 30 in the sequence.

However, Chicken Inn have already demonstrated their determination to oust a ‘big name’ from their neighbours to the south and will aim for an early away goal to double the trouble for Pitso Mosimane’s side.

The winners of the tie will face AC Leopards of Congo Brazzaville in the First Round. The ‘Beasts of Niari’ were one of the seeded teams who were granted a bye into the next phase of the continental competition.