“For me, I think the game on Friday will give us one more match before we play the Champions League game,” Onyango said.
The FIFA break is over, and Mamelodi Sundowns face another testing period in their quest to end the season with a treble.
Winning the Betway Premiership, Nedbank Cup, and CAF Champions League would be the perfect way to round off the season. Sundowns already missed out on the MTN8 and Carling Knockout earlier in the campaign.
Sundowns back in action
The Brazilians are back in action on Friday with a tricky Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash against Sekhukhune United at Lucas Moripe Stadium. The rescheduled match comes four days before Sundowns are set to take on Tunisian club Esperance in the last eight of the Champions League.
The domestic cup game was postponed earlier this month. The Atteridgeville venue was double-booked.
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Veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango believes a victory against Babina Noko on Friday night will give them the impetus they need. Just after the Nedbank game comes their season-defining Champions League tie with Esperance. It was Esperance who knocked Sundowns out of the competition in the semifinals last season.
“The preparations going into the Nedbank Cup are going well. We would’ve loved to have played a couple of weeks back. But the game was postponed when we were in camp,” Onyango said.
“We’re looking forward to the game, even though some guys were with the national team. They will come in and join us for a few days. But we have no choice but to play. We have a lot of games that we need to play in the league, Champions League, and Nedbank Cup.
Onyango – ‘Looking forward to it’
“The guys are looking forward to it. Everyone who has been given an opportunity must give their best because we’re all here to play. For me, I think the game on Friday will (just) give us one more match before we play the Champions League game.”
Onyango has called on their 12th man to come in their droves for the two matches. Sundowns can’t afford to slip up if they want to finish the season with three major honours.
‘Paint Lucas Moripe yellow’
“We also play Esperance on Tuesday, and we’re looking forward to it. Our faithful supporters must also come in big numbers on Friday night and support the boys. We need to go all the way in the Nedbank Cup and build momentum towards our Champions League game,” the former Ugandan captain added.
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“Friday is one of the games that we need them for, so they need to come in numbers to support the boys going into the Champions League. I’m calling all Sundowns supporters to paint Lucas Moripe yellow because we have an ambition to win the Nedbank Cup, Champions League, and the league.”
