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Tshabalala wants Sundowns ladies to finish job in Champs League final
"I told them it’s in their hands now," said Tshabalala.
Jerry Tshabalala, Coach of Mamelodi Sundown Ladies team (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
It was at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo in 2016, where Mamelodi Sundowns made history by winning their first ever Caf Champions League, and five years later, the Suundowns ladies team has a chance to lift the trophy at the very same stadium on Friday.
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The Downs ladies are on the verge of writing their names in the history books of African football by becoming the first female team to lift the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League trophy when they take on Ghana’s Hasacaas.
Coach Jerry Tshabalala praised his defenders for helping his team reach the final of teh tournament. Tshabalala says it’s all up to the players now to finish the job.
“I have to thank my defenders for the job they had so far in getting us into the final. Zanele Nhlapho, Bambanani Mbane and Karabo Makhurubetshi, we are in the final because of the defensive unit we have, and we have to applaud them,” said the Sundowns ladies coach.
“I know we are playing against a very difficult side, Hasacaas ladies. I told the players that they have to finish the job by being the first team to win the Caf Champions Women’s League. I told them it’s in their hands now. We worked so hard to be where we are. When you look at our male team, they won the Caf Champions League right here back in 2016 at the 30th June Stadium. Maybe it’s a good omen that we will play our final there and I am hopeful that we will bring the trophy home.”
It hasn’t been an easy road for the Sundowns ladies, who have found it very hard to find the back of the net, scoring only two goals in their road to the finals, but they have been impressive at the back recording four clean-sheets.
Banyana Ba style won two games in the group stages by 1-0 beating Vihiga Queens and Rivers Angels respectively, before playing to a goalless draw in the final group game against Asfar Ladies.
In the semi-final, the side from Pretoria played to another goalless draw against Malabo Kings, before edging the Equatorial Guinea based 5-4 on penalties.
