Mamelodi Sundowns’ shocking MTN8 semi-final record exposes huge task this weekend

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Sundowns[/a] have not won any of their last 11 semi-final first legs in the competition (D7 L4) since a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/supersport-utd-dWPcUyNt/?mid=lpCKliN9"]2-1[/a] home win over SuperSport United in the very first edition of the top-eight trophy in its current form.[/p][p]And they have progressed from only four of their 11 visits to this stage of the competition over the past 18 years.[/p][p]But damning for coach Miguel Cardoso is that on each of the three occasions when they lost the first leg, they have not managed to claw it back and reach the final.[/p][p]They lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/orlando-pirates-p4SF9EMI/?mid=jslITSeK"]3-2[/a] away to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Orlando Pirates[/a] in 2011 and then drew [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/orlando-pirates-p4SF9EMI/?mid=nDZmO6Js"]1-1[/a] in the reverse fixture to lose 4-3 on aggregate.[/p][p]They lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cape-town-city-l8K0DYSm/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/?mid=hpYTODrE"]1-0[/a] away to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-town-city/l8K0DYSm/"]Cape Town City[/a] in 2018 and, although they won the home leg by the same scoreline, were beaten on penalties.[/p][p]And they lost [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/stellenbosch-fJsWcA5b/?mid=8nsHLK0E"]1-0[/a] at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/stellenbosch-fc/fJsWcA5b/"]Stellenbosch FC[/a] in 2024 and then by the same scoreline away to lose 2-0 on aggregate.[/p][image alt="Match statistics from the first leg against Golden Arrows" id="3b8b52aa-a050-4e3f-9fb9-6c725cc1135a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="373daf46-b3b4-4c78-9893-ebcaac8bf2fd" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Perhaps most shockingly, they have never won an away leg of an MTN8 semi-final (D6 L5), something they will have to do next week in Durban if they are to reach the final.[/p][p]And that is against a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-arrows/C6CjDdNg/"]Golden Arrows[/a] side that has not conceded in eight games.[/p][p]All five of their semi-final leg wins have been at home, one in the first leg and four in the second.[/p][p]Keeping a clean sheet may be crucial this coming weekend, but they have managed that in only five of their 23 semi-final matches since 2008 and none of the last eight since a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/orlando-pirates-p4SF9EMI/?mid=vsn9qCN6"]0-0[/a] first-leg home draw with Pirates in 2022.[/p][infobox id="6b26ac9e-516b-44ef-ae26-248d15bdf3de" /][p]Pirates have been their tormentors at this stage – in three previous semi-final ties against the Soweto giants, Sundowns have lost all of them.[/p][p]They faced Golden Arrows in 2021 and drew the first leg [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/golden-arrows-C6CjDdNg/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/?mid=djGD3ndj"]1-1[/a] away before a handsome [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/golden-arrows-C6CjDdNg/mamelodi-sundowns-lxZ6Bzh6/?mid=zsFH26Bd"]3-0[/a] home win saw them advance and defeat Cape Town City in the final.[/p][p]That remains their only MTN8 triumph since 2008.[/p][p] [/p][p][b]Mamelodi Sundowns’ results in MTN8 semi-finals since 2008:[/b][/p][image alt="Mamelodi Sundowns in MTN8 semi-finals since 2008" id="ae8ef544-e70d-4d40-8906-e15b0e1f3b87" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="5a8700d5-874a-46a0-9b52-1127f8c0c8aa" original-width="1234" original-height="832" /][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]