The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has confirmed that tickets for the highly anticipated second leg of the MTN8 semi-final blockbuster clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are officially sold-out.
Masandawana will host the Buccaneers at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, 23 August after the two teams played out to a 1-1 draw in front of a packed Orlando Stadium over the weekend.
Teboho Mokoena scored the crucial away goal for Sundowns with a bullet header before Kamogelo Sebelebele salvaged a draw for the hosts, with his first-ever goal since signing in as a new Pirates player from TS Galaxy during the off-season.
Miguel Cardoso’s men will head into the second leg with a slight advantage, while Abdeslam Ouaddou’s charges will be determined overturn the tie, knowing that failure to score in the capital will seal their fate in the competition.
With pressure mounting and supporters’ frustration, Ouaddou will be eager to avoid defeat as Pirates are the defending champions of the MTN8, having won the competition for three seasons in a row under Jose Riveiro, becoming the first club to achieve the feat in PSL history.
On the other hand, the Downs mentor will also be determined to guide the Tshwane juggernauts to a domestic cup title, with the club’s last success dating back to the 2021/22 season under co-coaches Rulani Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi.
Since then, Sundowns have a cup hoodoo as they fell to Pirates in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup final in the 2023/24 campaign.
The two South African giants met at this stage of the competition in 2022, with Pirates reigning supreme with a 3-0 aggregate win across the two legs, before pipping AmaZulu to the title at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Other fixture, Stellies face Sekhukhune FC on the very same Saturday, in Polokwane.
The Cape Town side are 2-0 up and will not let a Limpopo side to spoil the party.
Image (Stellies Devin Titus looks forward destroying their opponents).
