History beckons for Onyango in Champions League final

Cranes keeper Onyango. Courtesy photo

KAMPALA- Mamelodi Sundowns visit Egyptian side Zamalek carrying a 3-0 lead into today’s Caf Champions League final return leg at the Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria.

Five-time African champions Zamalek have an entire 90 minutes to pull the burning shirt from the fire. Sundowns have the same time to press home their advantage.

Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Denis Onyango is bound to be in goal as South African giants Sundowns seek to lift their first continental title to make up for losing the 2001 one.

Not only will Onyango become the first Ugandan to do so as previous local finalists failed at the last hurdle, he will be the first to qualify for December’s Club World Cup.

That will headline a remarkable return for the former SC Villa custodian, who moved to South Africa 10 years ago, languishing among the substitutes at SuperSport, Sundowns and Bidvest Wits. The reigning Goalkeeper of the season and Uganda Sports Press Association (Uspa) Footballer of the Year put his journey “down to self-belief.”
Onyango also received nominations this week for the Caf African Player of the Year and African Player of Year-based in Africa. For the coaches, Sundowns’ Pitso Mosimane and Zamalek’s Moemen Soliman, it’s not done yet, just like Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez might have felt 11 years ago.

“I have confidence in my players and I promise you, you will find another team in Egypt. To win the Champions League you have to overcome big hurdles, this is one” Soliman warned.

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
FINAL - TODAY AT 9.30PM
Zamalek vs. Sundowns
LIVE SS4 (Borg El Arab Stadium)