Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi says they are determined to finally lay their hands on the MTN8 for the first time in 13 years.

Over the past number of seasons under the irrepressible Pitso Mosimane‚ the Brazilians won everything that matters on the domestic and continental scene‚ but this season-opening competition has continuously eluded them.

Sundowns last laid their hands on this trophy in 2007 while it was still called the SAA Supa8 when they beat Orlando Pirates in the final at Kings Park in Durban through a solitary goal by Brent Carelse.

“We have done well in the past and this trophy kept eluding us‚ so we will try and give it our best shot and see what we get out of it‚” said Mngqithi‚ who is a co-coach with Rulani Mokwena and Steve Komphela.

“Rest assured‚ we will not bow down without a big fight. It is one trophy that everybody is yearning for – the Yellow Nation‚ the players‚ management‚ the president and the board.

“We are in the same boat and we want it and we ask the gods of football to be with us so we can win this. To be honest with you we have been fighting for this trophy‚ we have been trying our level best to find out why we can’t win this one.”

If Sundowns go all the way and lift the trophy‚ Mngqithi will achieve a significant personal milestone of having won it twice as he led Golden Arrows to a resounding 6-0 win over Ajax Cape Town at Orlando Stadium in 2009.

To get closer to their mission of starting the season with silverware‚ Sundowns will have to get the better of stubborn Bloemfontein Celtic‚ who they host in the quarterfinal stage at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday.

This will be a repeat of last season’s Nedbank Cup final where the Brazilians prevailed 1-0 at the Orlando Stadium.