Exclusive: Former Sundowns Midfielder Predicts 3-1 Win Over Pirates in MTN 8 Semi-Final

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder and now MTN 8 Ambassador, Brent Carelse, predicts a 3-1 victory for Sundowns over Orlando Pirates in the second leg of the MTN 8 semi-final at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

The Prediction

The stage is set for a cracker of a contest between the country’s top teams this Saturday, with the Lucas Moripe Stadium sold out already for the second leg of the fixture.

The two sides are deadlocked at one-all heading into the second leg, with Sundowns enjoying the away goal advantage heading into what is a home fixture for them. 

Because of the attacking nature of the two teams, Former midfielder Carelse believes that the encounter will be high-scoring as he predicted a 3-1 scoreline in favour of ‘The Brazilians’ on Saturday.

Carelse also highlighted that the encounter will be won and lost in the midfield, citing that the side with a more creative midfield will have the advantage.

“I think both teams have goals in them. They're very good going forward, especially Pirates. Sundowns create a lot of opportunities, but they seem to miss a lot,” Carelse told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.

“They're not scoring them. But hopefully on Saturday, they can do that. They can put the ball in the back of the net. But I do see a high-scoring game. 3-1 is my prediction."

“I think the game will be won in midfield, to be honest with you. Because if I look at even the first leg, it was end-to-end stuff. Nothing much happened in the midfield, but that's because they were not much involved."

“The attackers and defenders were doing most of the work. But I think this time around, there will be a little bit more strategic approach in the midfield, depending on what Sundowns put out in the midfield and Pirates as well. That is where the game is going to be won.”

Momentum & its impact

While Carelse predicts a Sundowns victory on Saturday, he acknowledged the danger that Orlando Pirates have, purely because of their recent record against Sundowns in the MTN 8.

Pirates have won the MTN 8 three times in a row, beating Sundowns twice in the final, a feat that Carelse admitted would play in the minds of the players from both teams.

“Yes, it will play in the players’ minds. I think form breeds confidence. So, if you look at Orlando Pirates' form in the MTN 8, they've won it three years in a row now and they're now trying to go for the fourth one,” said Carelse.

“If you look at the first leg, how they played the second half, the momentum they had and how they came back, it breeds confidence. So, I think they'll come into the game full of confidence."

“Sundowns, on the other hand, know they need to be wary because Pirates is a very dangerous team. But, yeah, that comes into play; it’s not like it won't be in the players' minds, in the back of their minds."

“But it's also a cup game, it's ‘WAFA-WAFA’, and you have to be on your best on the day. So, whoever rocks up on the day with their best foot forward, I think they will stand a chance to win.”

First-Leg Review

Carelse praised the two teams’ exciting nature, one that was in full display during their 1-1 result in the first leg at Orlando Stadium.

“It was a very, very exciting game. I think both teams played very attractive and attacking football. I think that is why you see the stadium was sold out. I think it's one of the highlights of the season, the Pirates and Sundowns match-up,” Carelse told SportsBoom.co.za.

“I think that's what makes the second leg also very interesting. Even though Sundowns have an advantage with their away goal, I think it's still up for grabs for anybody."

“Pirates are a very, very attacking team, and they look very solid at the back. So, it’s a very exciting game coming up on Saturday in the second leg. We all know the star power involved in both teams.”

The encounter between the two teams is set to get underway at 3 pm SAST, with the second semi-final between Stellenbosch FC and Sekhukhune United is set to start on the same day at 6 pm SAST.