A LOOK at the cup final history of Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns shows a major contrast in fortunes as they prepare to meet in Saturday's Telkom Knockout decider.
Celtic have played just two major cup finals in their history of close on 50 years while Sundowns emerged as a force only in the mid-1980s when Zola Mahobe's plundered millions built up the team.
Sundowns, however, have made regular cup final appearances over the past 25 years, averaging almost one a year. They have been to a total of 24 cup finals, nine of them victorious and 15 ending in defeat.
But what will dismay their fans is the fact that Sundowns have won just twice in their past 11 cup final appearances.
BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC
1985 Mainstay Cup: Ismael Mokitlane scored a 117th-minute winner in extra time as Dave Roberts's foreigner-packed side overcame a manager-less African Wanderers 2-1 at Ellis Park.
2005 SAA Supa Eight Cup: Rotson Kilambe scored the winning goal for a second successive year in the final, this time for Celtic rather than Chiefs as they beat SuperSport United 1-0 in the final at Olen Park in Potchefstroom.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
1986 BobSave Super Bowl: Driving rain caused the ref to abandon the original match but the two teams returned to Ellis Park where a late own goal from Jomo Cosmos's Greg Cupido handed Sundowns their first-ever silverware
1988 BP Top Eight Cup: There were three matches before the winner was decided in a derby with Arcadia. The two legs ended in a 2-2 aggregate tie and a replay was held at the Rand Stadium where Lovemore Chafunya scored the only goal.
1988 Ohlsson's Challenge: Sundowns and Arcadia met again in a second successive final and Bennett Masinga's 21st-minute goal at Ellis Park handed the Brazilians a 1-0 win.
1989 BobSave Super Bowl: Sundowns were the glamour team of the time but Moroka Swallows's new owner, the rugby tycoon Louis Luyt, had actually spent more money on players and the likes of Calvin Petersen and Owen da Gama ran riot in the replay as Sundowns lost 5-1.
1990 BP Top Eight Cup: A one-sided 5-0 aggregate triumph for Sundowns over Wits over two legs.
1990 JPS Knockout Cup: Sundowns won the two-legged final by beating Orlando Pirates 1-0 in the first leg and drawing the return 1-1.
1992 BP Top Eight Cup: Kaizer Chiefs began their long-standing dominance over Sundowns in cup finals with a 1-0 win.
1992 Castle Challenge: Augusto Palacios was coach of Sundowns as they went down 2-1 to Pirates in the final at Soccer City. Current assistant coach Harold Legodi was on the losing side.
1994 BP Top Eight Cup: Chiefs scored an extra-time goal through Zimbabwe import Mike Maringa to beat Sundowns 3-2. Star of the game was the 20-year-old Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, later to play for Sundowns.
1997 Rothmans Cup: Sundowns lost 3-2 on penalties to Chiefs after two matches at Soccer City. The first ended 1-1 and the replay four days later finished with the same score, thanks to Raphael Chukwu's 89th-minute equaliser.
1998 BobSave Super Bowl: Again it took two games to settle the outcome but this time there was penalty shootout success for Sundowns over Pirates. The World Cup in France delayed the replay by two months. It ended 1-1 after both sides converted extra-time penalties.
1998 Rothmans Cup: Thabo Mooki scored in the first minute for Chiefs but the game ended 2-2 after extra time with Joel Masilela and Alex Bapela netting for Sundowns. Chiefs won 2-1 in a penalty shootout.
1999 Rothmans Cup: Sundowns' third successive final with Paul Dolezar at the helm after he jumped ship from Chiefs and finally success as Free State Stars were beaten 2-0 with goals from Alain Amougou and Daniel Mudau.
2000 BobSave Super Bowl: A penalty from Siyabonga Nomvethe on the stroke of half-time saw Chiefs shade Sundowns 1-0 at Soccer City.
2001 BobSave Super Bowl: At Soccer City in Johannesburg, Tyren Arendse scored the only goal for Clive Barker's Santos against his prodigy Neil Tovey, who was in charge of Sundowns.
2001 BP Top Eight Cup: Chiefs again eclipsed Sundowns on penalties, this time 7-6 after a 2-2 draw in the final where Amakhosi were saved by a last-gasp equaliser from Cyril Nzama in the 90th minute.
2001 African Champions League: Never has a side so dominated a match and yet finished so badly beaten. Sundowns were held to a home draw in the first leg but carved up Egypt's Al Ahly in Cairo in the return, only to lose 3-0.
2002 BP Top Eight Cup: Santos beat Sundowns 2-0 in the final at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, going two-up in the first 30 minutes and then making sure they stayed there.
2007 Absa Cup: Sundowns lost 2-0 to Ajax in Durban with Surprise Moriri in the line-up but Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale got the goals for Ajax.
2007 SAA Supa Eight Cup: Brent Carelse's early strike gives Sundowns a 1-0 win over Pirates in Durban. Nyandoro and Moriri, both still with the club, played.
2007 Telkom Knockout: A goalless draw against Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld and the inevitable penalty shootout loss as Patrick Apataki's last kick was saved by Itumeleng Khune in goal for Chiefs. Nyandoro and Moriri again featured.
2008 Nedbank Cup: A late goal from Lerato Chabangu secured the cup for Sundowns against second division opposition in the form of a resolute Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium. Nyandoro and Moriri played.
2008 MTN8: A fifth cup final in a row but it was a disappointing goalless draw versus Chiefs in Durban. Nyandoro missed a penalty for a second time in a final shootout but Moriri scored. Chiefs won 4-3.
2012 Nedbank Cup: Sundowns lost 2-0 to neighbours SuperSport in a final controversially played at Orlando Stadium. Of that Sundowns line-up only Siyanda Xulu has left while Katlego Mphela and Lebogang Mokoena are injured.
l See also Pages 39 and 40
How Celtic, Downs have fared in finals
A LOOK at the cup final history of Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns shows a major contrast in fortunes as they prepare to meet in Saturday's Telkom Knockout decider.
Celtic have played just two major cup finals in their history of close on 50 years while Sundowns emerged as a force only in the mid-1980s when Zola Mahobe's plundered millions built up the team.
Sundowns, however, have made regular cup final appearances over the past 25 years, averaging almost one a year. They have been to a total of 24 cup finals, nine of them victorious and 15 ending in defeat.
But what will dismay their fans is the fact that Sundowns have won just twice in their past 11 cup final appearances.
BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC
1985 Mainstay Cup: Ismael Mokitlane scored a 117th-minute winner in extra time as Dave Roberts's foreigner-packed side overcame a manager-less African Wanderers 2-1 at Ellis Park.
2005 SAA Supa Eight Cup: Rotson Kilambe scored the winning goal for a second successive year in the final, this time for Celtic rather than Chiefs as they beat SuperSport United 1-0 in the final at Olen Park in Potchefstroom.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
1986 BobSave Super Bowl: Driving rain caused the ref to abandon the original match but the two teams returned to Ellis Park where a late own goal from Jomo Cosmos's Greg Cupido handed Sundowns their first-ever silverware
1988 BP Top Eight Cup: There were three matches before the winner was decided in a derby with Arcadia. The two legs ended in a 2-2 aggregate tie and a replay was held at the Rand Stadium where Lovemore Chafunya scored the only goal.
1988 Ohlsson's Challenge: Sundowns and Arcadia met again in a second successive final and Bennett Masinga's 21st-minute goal at Ellis Park handed the Brazilians a 1-0 win.
1989 BobSave Super Bowl: Sundowns were the glamour team of the time but Moroka Swallows's new owner, the rugby tycoon Louis Luyt, had actually spent more money on players and the likes of Calvin Petersen and Owen da Gama ran riot in the replay as Sundowns lost 5-1.
1990 BP Top Eight Cup: A one-sided 5-0 aggregate triumph for Sundowns over Wits over two legs.
1990 JPS Knockout Cup: Sundowns won the two-legged final by beating Orlando Pirates 1-0 in the first leg and drawing the return 1-1.
1992 BP Top Eight Cup: Kaizer Chiefs began their long-standing dominance over Sundowns in cup finals with a 1-0 win.
1992 Castle Challenge: Augusto Palacios was coach of Sundowns as they went down 2-1 to Pirates in the final at Soccer City. Current assistant coach Harold Legodi was on the losing side.
1994 BP Top Eight Cup: Chiefs scored an extra-time goal through Zimbabwe import Mike Maringa to beat Sundowns 3-2. Star of the game was the 20-year-old Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, later to play for Sundowns.
1997 Rothmans Cup: Sundowns lost 3-2 on penalties to Chiefs after two matches at Soccer City. The first ended 1-1 and the replay four days later finished with the same score, thanks to Raphael Chukwu's 89th-minute equaliser.
1998 BobSave Super Bowl: Again it took two games to settle the outcome but this time there was penalty shootout success for Sundowns over Pirates. The World Cup in France delayed the replay by two months. It ended 1-1 after both sides converted extra-time penalties.
1998 Rothmans Cup: Thabo Mooki scored in the first minute for Chiefs but the game ended 2-2 after extra time with Joel Masilela and Alex Bapela netting for Sundowns. Chiefs won 2-1 in a penalty shootout.
1999 Rothmans Cup: Sundowns' third successive final with Paul Dolezar at the helm after he jumped ship from Chiefs and finally success as Free State Stars were beaten 2-0 with goals from Alain Amougou and Daniel Mudau.
2000 BobSave Super Bowl: A penalty from Siyabonga Nomvethe on the stroke of half-time saw Chiefs shade Sundowns 1-0 at Soccer City.
2001 BobSave Super Bowl: At Soccer City in Johannesburg, Tyren Arendse scored the only goal for Clive Barker's Santos against his prodigy Neil Tovey, who was in charge of Sundowns.
2001 BP Top Eight Cup: Chiefs again eclipsed Sundowns on penalties, this time 7-6 after a 2-2 draw in the final where Amakhosi were saved by a last-gasp equaliser from Cyril Nzama in the 90th minute.
2001 African Champions League: Never has a side so dominated a match and yet finished so badly beaten. Sundowns were held to a home draw in the first leg but carved up Egypt's Al Ahly in Cairo in the return, only to lose 3-0.
2002 BP Top Eight Cup: Santos beat Sundowns 2-0 in the final at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, going two-up in the first 30 minutes and then making sure they stayed there.
2007 Absa Cup: Sundowns lost 2-0 to Ajax in Durban with Surprise Moriri in the line-up but Bryce Moon and Franklin Cale got the goals for Ajax.
2007 SAA Supa Eight Cup: Brent Carelse's early strike gives Sundowns a 1-0 win over Pirates in Durban. Nyandoro and Moriri, both still with the club, played.
2007 Telkom Knockout: A goalless draw against Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld and the inevitable penalty shootout loss as Patrick Apataki's last kick was saved by Itumeleng Khune in goal for Chiefs. Nyandoro and Moriri again featured.
2008 Nedbank Cup: A late goal from Lerato Chabangu secured the cup for Sundowns against second division opposition in the form of a resolute Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium. Nyandoro and Moriri played.
2008 MTN8: A fifth cup final in a row but it was a disappointing goalless draw versus Chiefs in Durban. Nyandoro missed a penalty for a second time in a final shootout but Moriri scored. Chiefs won 4-3.
2012 Nedbank Cup: Sundowns lost 2-0 to neighbours SuperSport in a final controversially played at Orlando Stadium. Of that Sundowns line-up only Siyanda Xulu has left while Katlego Mphela and Lebogang Mokoena are injured.
l See also Pages 39 and 40
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