Golden Arrows stun Mamelodi Sundowns as Orlando Pirates edge towards MTN8 final

Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a 1-0 defeat by a determined Golden Arrows side in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday, while defending champions Orlando Pirates gained the advantage in the other tie with a narrow victory over Sekhukhune United.

Orlando Pirates secured a crucial 1-0 win against Sekhukhune United at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, taking an important step towards a return to the MTN8 final.

The result gives Orlando Pirates a lead to protect in the second leg after a closely contested encounter. Sekhukhune United had been scheduled to host the defending champions in the opening match of their semi-final at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Golden Arrows’ victory ended a positive run for Mamelodi Sundowns, who had set a new PSL home unbeaten record only days earlier.

Sundowns recorded a 2-0 win over Marumo Gallants at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday, establishing the new mark in front of their home supporters. That result had underlined their strength on home territory before Sunday’s setback against Golden Arrows.

Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is also looking forward to facing Phuti Mohafe, describing the contest as a meeting on a level playing field.

The coach’s comments come as Sundowns adjust to a new campaign without the status they held as league champions. Midfielder Marcelo Allende said the unfamiliar position had made the squad raise its standards.

Allende acknowledged that starting the season without their league-winning status had created a different feeling around the team. Rather than allowing that change to weaken their ambitions, he said it had pushed Sundowns to demand more from themselves.

Defender Grant Kekana has also stressed that the Tshwane giants are concentrating on their own development instead of comparing themselves with their Betway Premiership rivals.

Kekana made that point ahead of Sundowns’ first home game, with the team focused on improving its own performances rather than measuring its progress against other sides in the competition.

At Orlando Pirates, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou had called for a response from his squad after last week’s draw with AmaZulu. He said his affection for the players was unquestionable, but the immediate priority was to see a strong reaction from them.

That response arrived with the victory over Sekhukhune United, giving Orlando Pirates a narrow advantage in their semi-final. Sundowns, meanwhile, must recover from the one-goal loss to Golden Arrows when the tie continues.

The two first-leg results leave both semi-finals finely balanced, with Golden Arrows holding the only advantage over Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates taking a similar lead into the remainder of their contest with Sekhukhune United.