Sundowns fans flock to OR Tambo
A wave of yellow swept over OR Tambo International Airport ahead of the Mamelodi Sundowns team's arrival following their CAF Champions League win.
|||A wave of yellow swept over OR Tambo International Airport this morning ahead of the Mamelodi Sundowns team's arrival back in the country following their CAF Champions League win at the weekend.
Young and old flocked to the Joburg airport from as early as 4am to welcome back the soccer stars who were crowned African champions after they beat Zamalek in Egypt on Sunday.
Scores of fans draped in the team's yellow and green regalia were jovial, with some waving the South African flag in the international arrivals terminal and outside in the parking lot.
As Sundowns fans sang and danced in celebration, others blew vuvuzelas as a brass band played.
Others took selfies as music also blasted from speakers which were placed on an impromptu stage.
Taxi drivers who drove past hooted in support, causing further cheers from the crowd.
One of
@extrastrongsa @IOLsport mood out here at OR Tambo. #CafCLChampions ???? https://t.co/Q8XxROySeM
— Mohau Ramashidja (@Mohau_Ra) October 26, 2016
them was 62-year-old Dolly Ngubeni, who arrived at the airport at 5am this morning with her husband Joseph.
"I've been a fan my entire life," she proclaimed.
" I love them with my whole heart and I want to tell them that the whole country is proud of them."
These sentiments were echoed by Robert Phago, who considers himself one of the team's biggest fans.
"Sundowns is my first priority, I've invested a lot of emotion and love to the team," he told The Star.
Phago and his friends arrived at the airport at the peak of dawn as they said they wanted to ensure that they showed the team some love when they returned.
"The players did us proud and they deserve a warm welcome home. They raised the flag high for South Africa," he said.
The Brazilians, as the team is affectionately known as, won the league at the Borg El Arab Stadium near Alexandria as they held on to a 3-1 aggregate victory over Zamalek.
The club's president mining magnate Patrice Motsepe has since pledged the entire R20.9 million prize money to the players.
The Pretoria side became only the second South African team to win the CAF Champions League after Orlando Pirates in 1995.
They will now travel to Japan in December to take part in the FIFA World Club Cup.
karishma.dipa@inl.co.za
Independent Media