Mamelodi Sundowns make CAF Champions League fashionable

(Judas Moseamedi -  2017 Castle Cosafa Plate winner)

The South Africa national team won the 2017 Castle Cosafa Plate on Friday night, and we already forgot they are champions. That is all we can say about that.

Mamelodi Sundowns have made the CAF Champions League fashionable. 
The revived the interest and have turned up the style.

Since the Orlando Pirates victory in 1995, Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs had reached the finals once before Minwana Phezulu recently won it.

Dynamos of Zimbabwe reached the finals on two separate occasions in between, and they were coached by the new Castle Cosafa Cup winner, Sunday Chidzambwa.

This tournament used to be the domain of Zamalek. Al Ahli, Rajah Casablanca, JS Kabilye, Esperance, Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak of Ghana and Canon Younde, just to name a few.

For some reasons, South African teams never took participating in Africa worthwhile, until now. It was probably financially unwise as the local teams lost resources and risked injuries instead of focussing on the local league and cups.

Since Sundowns gave this tournament their all, it has suddenly improved in stature and interest in South Africa and the continent has immensely increased.

The long-term effect on Bafana Bafana performance can never be over-emphasised. Losing the quarter-final in the Castle Cosafa Cup to Tanzania at home was an embarrassment. 

However, most South African teams playing club continental football are doing very well and that minor setback shall be forgotten.

Both Platinum Stars and Supersport United are progressed very well, with Supersport and Sundowns already in the knockout stages of the tournament - the quarter-finals of their respective competitions.