MTN8: Junior Khanye backs Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns to reach final

Junior Khanye believes Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns will contest this season’s MTN8 final, despite Golden Arrows holding a 1-0 advantage over the reigning champions after the first leg of their semi-final.

The opening matches of the last-four ties were played last weekend. Orlando Pirates earned a narrow 1-0 victory away to Sekhukhune United, while Golden Arrows claimed an identical win against Mamelodi Sundowns in the capital.

Pirates will attempt to complete the job when they host Sekhukhune at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday. Golden Arrows, meanwhile, will welcome Sundowns to King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday, with the visitors needing to improve their finishing if they are to overturn the deficit and keep their hopes of reaching the final alive.

Khanye, speaking to KickOff, still expects the two clubs with the strongest advantage in his view to come through the semi-finals.

“Pirates and Sundowns are going straight to the final,” says Khanye, speaking to KickOff.

The former footballer and analyst acknowledged that Abdeslam Ouaddou’s Golden Arrows side currently lead Sundowns, but argued that the quality and experience of the eight-time consecutive league champions could prove decisive over the two legs.

“Arrows might be leading Sundowns 1-0, but we are talking about the African champions here. They competed in the Club World Cup. Sundowns players are on another level, a team that has won the league title eight times in a row. In South Africa, that has never been done before.

“The way Pirates and Sundowns are playing, it’s the way football is supposed to be played in South Africa. Not football that relies on second balls.

“Sekhukhune might be angry for losing to Pirates twice in a row, but there’s nothing they can do. The problem is they sign players for coach Cedric Kaze; they brought him there, but he never signed any player,” he adds, while giving Manqoba Mngqithi credit for laying a solid foundation for current head coach Pitso Dladla at Abafana Bes’thende.

Khanye also praised the approach of Golden Arrows, highlighting the similarities between their style and that of Sundowns. However, he maintained that the difference between the two teams was reflected in their respective levels of quality and experience.

“That team plays beautiful football.

“Arrows play like Sundowns; the difference is quality and experience. But Arrows will go there to defend their goal, and Sundowns will not stop coming at them. I see this ending 3-1.”

The analyst therefore expects Sundowns’ attacking pressure to eventually tell in the second leg, with the Pretoria-based side overturning the one-goal deficit to win 3-1 and book their place in the final.

Both MTN8 semi-final second legs will kick off at 15:00.