The camaraderie and international experience among the players of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have aided their continued success.
That is the view of vice-captain and goalkeeper Andile Dlamini after the Brazilians won the CAF Women’s Champions League crown on Sunday.
The Brazilians were crowned the best team on the continent for the second time in three years after beating Sporting Club Casablanca 3-0 in the final in Korhogo, Ivory Coast.
It was a historic triumph for the club and the team received a heroines’ welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday as their fans sang and danced.
Team effort
And while individuals such as Dlamini, Tholakele Refilwe and Boitumelo Rabale scooped the goalkeeper, top goalscorer and player of the tournament awards, the team’s victory and fair play award were perhaps even more precious.
In fact, speaking to the media in the airport’s auditorium, Dlamini lauded the team effort, saying they also represented injured players such Rhoda Mulaudzi and Bambanani Mbane.
“Everyone is so special in this team. They bring out the best in each other, and I believe we brought out the best in each other in Korhogo,” she said.
“We had a lot of players who were not there due to respective injuries, which I think is unfair. So, we were playing for them as well.”
Sundowns’ impressive form domestically and continentally augurs well for Banyana Banyana, with coach Desiree Ellis having called up six Sundowns players for the recent Fifa World Cup.
But while Dlamini admits that’s the case, she believes the mix of local, overseas and international experience among the players has helped the team to get to where it is today.
“When we represent the national team, we represent the national team, and when we represent Sundowns, we represent Sundowns,” she said.
“There’s a special culture. At Sundowns, we have the winning mentality, taking into consideration that we have players that are playing for the respective national teams and have experience.
“We share experiences among each other, and there are players that played abroad. We are a team that’s actually united.
“Boitumelo is the Lesotho national team captain. She carries the team. Sedilame Boseja is the captain of Botswana and has experience as well. She shares that with the team.”
‘Respect each other’
But it’s not only “experience” that Dlamini feels has made the team a well-oiled machine as they are ranked No 1 in Africa and 25th in the world.
“I also love the fact that we respect each other, whether a person plays for the national team or not,” Dlamini explained.
With Super League log leaders University of the Western Cape beaten 2-0 by TS Galaxy on Wednesday, Sundowns – who have four games in hand – can trim the gap to just three points at the top of the standings this afternoon.
‘Banyana ba Style’ will first face neighbours Tshwane University of Technology in their first catch-up game in the quest to defend their league title.