Mamelodi Sundowns turn to MTN8 after Jayden Adams tragedy

Mamelodi Sundowns will begin their MTN8 campaign against Stellenbosch FC on Saturday after the death of midfielder and Bafana Bafana team-mate Jayden Adams forced the postponement of their Betway Premiership opener.

Sundowns defender Aubrey Modiba said the club had been deeply affected by Adams’ passing and that football had understandably been placed on hold as players and staff dealt with the loss.

The Brazilians had been due to start their league campaign alongside the rest of the division last weekend, but their match was postponed following Adams’ death. They must now prepare for an MTN8 quarter-final against Stellenbosch FC at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, with kick-off at 15:00.

Modiba said the emotional impact of losing a team-mate who also represented South Africa was clear during Sundowns’ pre-season preparations.

“It has been very challenging,” Modiba said. “It hasn’t been easy on everyone – not only the team, but the country and even the world, seeing how people celebrated his life.

“You could see some of the guys, even in training, they were mentally not there. The coach understood that and sometimes allowed them to step aside so they could deal with it. It has been difficult.”

Although he accepted that postponing the league fixture was necessary, Modiba admitted Sundowns would have preferred to begin their Betway Premiership title campaign on schedule.

“Mentally we were prepared to play. Anyone would have loved to play because we don’t want to fall behind while other teams are collecting points,” he said. “But there was nothing we could do because of the situation.”

The delayed start has, however, given Sundowns an opportunity to assess their MTN8 opponents in a competitive match. Stellenbosch FC opened their campaign with a 1-0 defeat by AmaZulu in Durban, allowing Sundowns to study Gavin Hunt’s side before the quarter-final.

“They’ve already played, so it gave us an opportunity to analyse them and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe that’s a slight advantage because they don’t know much about us this season,” he said.

Sundowns are seeking a strong response after surrendering the Premiership title to Orlando Pirates last season. They did claim the CAF Champions League crown, but their desire for domestic cup success remains a major source of motivation.

“We know our supporters expect us to win every trophy,” Modiba said. “Those conversations happen within the squad because we also want more. Pirates have won it four times in a row, so we know we’ll have to match that intensity if we want to change things.”

Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the build-up to the new season, Modiba believes Sundowns remain well placed to challenge for honours.

He pointed to the continuity provided by head coach Miguel Cardoso and the emergence of several promising academy graduates as reasons for optimism. Together, he believes those factors can help the club produce another successful campaign.

The MTN8 quarter-final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Stellenbosch FC will be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, beginning at 15:00.