The 34-year-old, whose father is Bucs legend Julius Sono, described the highly-anticipated game as a final before the final
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has predicted Orlando Pirates’ starting line-up ahead of their Gauteng Derby clash on Thursday.
Masandawana will welcome the Buccaneers at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals, with the two teams keen to join Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, Chippa United and Pretoria Callies in the semi-finals.
Having been part of the Pirates technical team between 2017 and 2019, Mokwena explained what he expects from the Buccaneers, who are under the guidance of German coach Josef Zinnbauer.
“I can give you the Pirates line-up. We all know more or less who will play except for the conundrum from the good performance in their 3-0 win over Ahli Benghazi of Libya where Tshegofatsho Mabasa and Kabelo Dlamini played‚” Mokwena told the media.
“That is possibly their biggest conundrum‚ but you know there are possibilities of Siphesihle Ndlovu or Ntsikelelo Nyauza playing at right-back. With Nyauza‚ it is more of a back three than it is a back four because with Ndlovu there is a lot more adventure and forays offensively.
“It will possibly be Happy Jele‚ Thulani Hlastshwayo‚ Paseka Mako and if Nyauza is not playing centre half‚ he is playing right back. In the midfield, there is Thabang Monare and Ben Motshwari at central midfield‚ Fortune Makaringe as their number ten and there is also Vincent Pule in that space.
“Then there the remaining positions for the likes of Gabadinho Mhango‚ Deon Hotto‚ Kabelo Dlamini or even Linda Mntambo. So‚ we know more or less the Pirates line-up and fortunately, we are also clued up on some of their schemes.
“From the point of view of the technical match-up‚ you know that there are some very good players and tactically the profile of the team is possession-orientated and transitional. It should be a good game on Thursday‚ it’s just a pity that a spectacle like that will not have fans in the stadium.”
Mokwena stated that the clash between the two giants of South African football will be the final before the final, with Sundowns determined to retain the Nedbank crown this season.
“With due respect to all the remaining sides and the teams that participated in the competition‚ I think this is the final before the final. Two very good teams,” he added.
“Pirates are strong opponents with very good players and players that offer good weapons. When you profile opponents you do some form of individual profiling and of course, you see the characteristics of the side.
“They have very good speed and mobility‚ particularly in the attack. They can play a certain way‚ particularly in the Confederation Cup where they have been dominant on the ball both home and away‚ and I have seen a huge improvement in their possession statistics.
“For an example‚ they average about 54 percent of ball possession per game but the profile of the team is the same because they are dynamic.”
The last meeting between Sundowns and Pirates was in January 2021 and it was Masandawana who emerged 1-0 winners in a PSL game in Tshwane.
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