South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan has explained how the South African national team, Bafana Bafana can benefit after the Premier Soccer League’s biggest clubs qualified for next season’s CAF interclub competitions.
Mamelodi Sundowns clinched the PSL title after defeating Black Leopards 3-0 on Saturday, overhauling long-time log leaders Kaizer Chiefs who were held to a 1-1 draw by Baroka FC on the final day of the season.
Jordaan praised Sundowns for showing utmost professionalism throughout the season and also praised the club president Patrice Motsepe.
‘’I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sundowns Football Club for being true champions,” Jordaan told Safa’s official website on Sunday.
“This is their third league title on the trot and 10th overall and well done to coach Pitso Mosimane and his technical team for leading the team to the top again.
“Competing in Africa year in year out and continuing to dominate on the domestic front shows the vision of club President.”
“Winning the league title also means Sundowns will once again be representing South Africa together with Kaizer Chiefs in the Caf Champions League tournament while Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic will take part in the Caf Confed Cup,” he added.
‘’Up until the final whistle, the league could have gone either way but ultimately Sundowns through their never-say-die attitude, prevailed.
“The club has done well in Caf club competitions and we look forward to them raising the South African flag again together with other continental representatives.
“When our clubs do well in Caf tournaments, it rubs off our national teams especially the senior men’s national team, Bafana Bafana.”
Kaizer Chiefs finished second behind the Tshwane giants and will also play in the CAF Champions League as well. Orlando Pirates will feature in the CAF Confederations Cup after Josef Zinnbauer led them to third place. They will be joined in the competition by Bloemfontein Celtic who reached the 2020 Nedbank Cup final where they will face Sundowns on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Bidvest Wits, who finished in fourth place, have played their final PSL season and will cease to exist after selling their spot to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) owner Masala Mulaudzi.
This means TTM will compete in the MTN8 in their first season in the top-flight and they will face SuperSport United.
The 2020-21 season is scheduled to kick off on the weekend of October 9-10 but will be preceded by the MTN8. The official draw for the MTN8 is expected to take place in September and the dates and venues will be released soon.
The MTN8 is South Africa’s richest Cup competition with the eventual winners walking away with R8 million prize money. Chiefs are record winners with their 15 titles unequaled by anyone.