From a benchwarmer and sharing the goalkeeping duties at SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns to being crowned Caf’s 2016 local-based player of the year‚ now Denis Onyango has his sights on more history in Saturday’s Caf Super Cup against TP Mazembe.

Onyango had a spectacular personal 2016.

He helped Uganda qualify for their first Africa Cup of Nations in 39 years‚ became the first man from that country to win the Caf Champions League with Sundowns‚ and first to win Caf’s local-based award.

To say Onyango is a giant of his country’s football is an understatement.

The big‚ affable gentle giant of a 29-year-old keeper can add to the mystique if he can help Sundowns beat Confederation Cup winners Mazembe in Saturday’s Super Cup at Loftus Versfeld (kickoff: 7.30pm).

“They’re a very good team. They’ve won the Super Cup a couple of times‚” Onyango said of three-time winners Mazembe‚ who the keeper knows well having faced them in Downs’ 3-2 aggregate Champions League defeat in 2015‚ when the Democratic Republic of Congo club won the title.

“They’ve been winning it at home in Lubumbashi‚ and I think this is the opportunity we have also to win it at home.

“As a person I want to be the first Ugandan to win it. And it would be the first for Sundowns. We want to make more history for the club.

“You don’t get many opportunities like this in life. You never know when you’re going to get to the Super Cup again.

“We will try to take our chance and see if we can take it. But we need to work very hard because it’s a very good team with very experienced players.”

Onyango will face up against Mazembe’s lethal playmaker Rainford Kalaba‚ a fellow nominee for the Caf award.

The keeper’s win came as something of a surprise as the third finalist‚ Downs teammate Khama Billiat‚ had been tipped as the overwhelming favourite.

“It’s not easy for a goalkeeper to beat players like Khama and Rainford. But all Africa has quality players and for me to scoop it shows that I tried to do my best‚ and I did well for the country and the club‚” Onyango said.

“A goalkeeper matures as he gets older. I think it’s that time of my career to show what I’m capable of doing.

“I had two or three years not getting game time‚ and it was a lesson to wake up and fight hard for my position. And‚ yeah‚ the year’s been fantastic

“I’m really honoured to have been part of that Sundowns team that won almost everything. It was all dreams‚ but now it’s reality for me.”

For Onyango‚ the past six months – including Uganda’s tough return to the Afcon‚ where they lost narrowly against Ghana and finalists Egypt‚ and drew against Mali to exit in the first round – reached heights he could never have expected‚ even if he always had faith in his ability.

“I definitely did not expect any of this‚ though I believed I could get something‚” he said.

“People around me believed in me‚ and I had to believe in myself. And that’s what kept me going and lifted me all the time.

“Because I knew the capability that I had and also [Downs coach] Pitso Mosimane knew what I could do. The moment he gave me the chance‚ he said I should grab it with both hands. And I guess I did.”

This Weekend’s Caf Fixtures

Champions League: Bidvest Wits v St Louisienne (Saturday‚ 6pm — Bivest Stadium)

Caf Confederation Cup: União Desportiva do Songo v Platinum Stars (Saturday‚ 6pm — Estadio Nacional do Zimpeto‚ Maputo)‚ SuperSport United v Elgeco Plus (Sunday‚ 4pm – Lucas Moripe Stadium)

-TMG Digital/TMG Sport