Sport Matters

Changed man... Tebogo Langerman revealed how he had in the past undermined the importance of CAF club championship until most recently. All eyes in African football are on Mamelodi Sundowns this weekend, as the South African and continental champions make their Fifa Club World Cup debut. Sundowns meet host and Japan champs, Kashima Antlers, on Sunday December 11. The Antlers, from Ibaraki Prefecture on Japan's main island Honshu, are simply the glamour boys of Japanese football. They have won that country's premier league eight times, an no other team in the J League has won the title more than three times. So, it's clear Sundowns quarterfinal opponents in the Fifa tournament are no pushovers. The match taking place in 72 300 capacity Yokohama International Stadium, the home ground of Antlers' fiercest rivals F Merinos, does not proviude offer any reprieve because the Japanese seek success for their country in this tournament. Naturally I want success for Sun

THE fact that Mamelodi Sundowns are back in contention for Africa club honours after they were knocked out twice already in two competitions this year came as both good and bad news. That Sundowns have been reinstated in the 2016 CAF Champions League is good for the club president's desire for his team to be crowned African champions. Patrice Motsepe has thrown more than enough for that dream to come true, only for his team to come short.  This year Sundowns did not even reach the goup stage of the continent's premier club competition, after they were outfoxed by DR Congo's Vita Club in round three. The Kinshasa proceeded to the quaterfinal's groups stage as a result, but were later thrown out because they had fielded an ineligible player.  That's how Sundowns were called back to replace Vita. Their return is also good news for SA football ambition, which is now desperation,  to be counted among the best in  Africa. We once won the Africa club title, back in

Soccer genes... Jonathan Bolingi Merikani, DR Congo striker, spent time at Jomo Cosmos when he was a teen. Today he boasts gold medals from CAF Champions League and CHAN TODAY the son of former Jomo Cosmos goalkeeper is an African champion, again. This time following DR Congo's 3-0 victory over Mali in the final of the CHAN (African Nations Championship) on Sunday evening. And to add the cherry on top, Jonathan Bolingi Merikani also scored on the fine evening in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. The 21-year-old Bolingi also has a CAF Champions League gold medal, with TP Mazembe of Lubumbashi . He is the son of Mpangi Merikani, former Jomo Cosmos goalkeeper. When still a teen Bolingi also spent time at Cosmos, where his father is still employed as goalkeepers coach.  Mpangi Merikani, now that's an interesting name from the past. The slightly built keeper was more known for his antics between the posts during Jomo Cosmos' glory years more than 15 years ago, doing som