POLL | Can Pirates really beat magnificent Sundowns in MTN8 final?

The MTN8 final on Saturday between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates is one of the most anticipated domestic football clashes of the year and tickets were sold out in less than 24 hours for Durban’s 56,000-capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The last time the two teams faced off was two weeks ago in the DStv Premiership where Bucs lost 1-0 on home turf through a penalty.

In-form Sundowns are in top spot in the Premiership with 24 points, having won their first eight matches of the campaign, a run that equals Kaizer Chiefs' record of the most victories from the start of a season.

That record was levelled when Downs beat Stellenbosch FC 3-1 in a league match last week, a result that also saw them go to 32 league matches unbeaten, topping Chiefs' 31-match record set in 2005.

Sundowns' awe-inspiring dominance of domestic football was reinforced when they wrapped up a sixth Premiership title in succession last campaign, finishing with a 16-point lead over second-placed Pirates. With a lead of eight points already before the one-third stage of this league campaign, Downs are well on course for a seventh championship in a row.

They have been impressive internationally, too, winning the 2016 Caf Champions League and reaching the group stage of the continental showpiece nine ties in succession, bowing out in the quarterfinals four times and semifinals twice.

All of which makes Sundowns the favourites to win Saturday's cup final.

In underdogs Bucs' favour, however, is their recent successful record in domestic cup competitions, winning both available trophies last season in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. Saturday's game is their third domestic cup final in succession. They also impressively knocked Sundowns out in the two-legged semifinals of last year's MTN8 (3-0 on aggregate).

Pirates, though, have seen their form under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro falter in recent weeks, with three defeats in four league and cup games.

Bucs were dumped out of the Champions League by Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy over two legs (losing 1-0 away and winning by that scoreline at home before bowing out on penalties). They lost their second leg of their MTN8 semifinal to Stellenbosch FC, but still progressed on away goals. That defeat followed their loss in the league to Downs.

Bucs are in 14th place in the Premiership, but have played three or five games fewer than most of the other teams.

Despite their recent wobble Riveiro was upbeat about the final.

“It is nice to play against Sundowns because it is a team that is asking as many different questions in the game as we do. It is the first time we find them in the final and that is going to see differences in the approach maybe,” he said. 

“We know we have to be prepared to execute a very good game if we want to be the champions one more time. I think it's an excellent opportunity for us one more time after a difficult period to be in the final, to try to prove ourselves in a scenario like that.” 

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena said his team want a good trophy season and the MTN8 final presents an early opportunity to lift a cup.

“We have to get it [the trophy] but this time it's going to be difficult because we are getting it from the defending champions. That, from a mental perspective, demands a bit more from ourselves,” he said.