MTN8: Siyanda Ndlovu backs Mamelodi Sundowns to overturn Golden Arrows deficit

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Siyanda Ndlovu says his side will “fight with all we have” as they attempt to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Golden Arrows and reach the MTN8 final.

Sundowns must win the semi-final second leg at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday at 3pm if they are to remain in contention for the trophy. A 1-0 victory would send the tie to a penalty shootout, while any victory by a greater margin would take Sundowns through to the final.

Golden Arrows, however, have made an impressive start to the season and have not conceded in any of their first six matches across all competitions. Sundowns therefore face the challenge of breaking down a defence that has yet to be breached this campaign.

“I think it’s a big game and it won’t be easy, but what I can promise is that we are going to fight with all we have,” Ndlovu told the club media department.

The first leg ended 1-0 in Golden Arrows’ favour at Sundowns’ home ground, leaving Masandawana in a difficult position before the return fixture. Arrows only need to avoid defeat to secure their place in the final.

Sundowns will draw confidence from their latest league performance after beating AmaZulu 5-3 on Wednesday. Ndlovu believes they will need to produce another attacking display if they are to overturn the tie.

“We need to score goals like we did against AmaZulu; if we can score more goals, then that will help us to win.”

Golden Arrows are expected to adopt a defensive approach, potentially using the low-block strategy that frustrated Sundowns in the opening match. Ndlovu acknowledged that his opponents could follow a similar plan but insisted Sundowns would be better prepared this time.

“I think they will try to use the strategy they used in the previous game, but this time we will be able to get over that,” Ndlovu said.

The midfielder also reflected on the eight-goal contest against AmaZulu, which provided Sundowns with momentum ahead of the decisive cup fixture.

“It was not an easy game [against AmaZulu], but we managed the game well with the guys and scored a lot of goals.

“The way we gave it looked like the game was easy, but we managed to score a lot of goals [because of] the way we’ve been playing.”

Sundowns now need to combine that attacking threat with the defensive discipline required to prevent Arrows from scoring. Any Golden Arrows goal would mean Sundowns would have to score at least twice to progress without penalties.

The winners of the two-legged semi-final will advance to the MTN8 final, while the losing side will exit the competition.