MTN8 Quarter-final
Teams: Mamelodi Sundowns v Platinum Stars
Date: 2 August 2014
Venue: Loftus Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns and Platinum Stars will lock horns in the second quarter-final of this year's MTN8 tournament at Loftus stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The match is scheduled to get underway at 15h00.
The Brazilians qualified for the tournament after lifting the Absa Premiership title in the 2013/14 season while defending champions, Dikwena, snuck in after finishing the league season in eighth place.
Sundowns missed last season's top eight competition, but will be looking to go all the way in this campaign.
The Tshwane side have reached the Top Eight final eight times (the most recent was in 2008 when they were beaten on penalties by Kaizer Chiefs) and claimed the trophy on three occasions (1988, 1990 2007).
As for Stars, last season's triumph in the final of the MTN8 over Orlando Pirates was their first in the history of the competition. It followed quarter-final and semi-final victories over Free State Stars and Bidvest Wits.
The two teams have met in five cup games and Stars boast three outright wins compared to one for Sundowns. One cup meeting ended in a draw and the Brazilians edged through on penalties.
Dikwena defeated Sundowns in the quarter-finals of the Telkom Knockout just last season (the teams' most recent cup match), with goals from Mogakolodi Ngele and Mduduzi Nyanda securing a 2-1 home win.
Here is how they line up.
Sundowns: Sandilands, Langerman, Schut, Mphahlele, Nthethe, Modise, Zungu, Mbatha, Mashego, Laffor, Tau.
Platinum Stars: Mpontshane, Mere, Gumede, Rofhiwa, Mpeta, Ng'ambi, Mathe, Msomi, Nyanda, Hadebe, Mabena.
Check out the MTN8 Fixtures here.
