Kenyan International Brian Mandela made an off-the-bench appearance for Mamelodi Sundowns during their pre-season friendly match against KAA Gent in the Netherlands on Friday which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Mandela’s contract with Mamelodi Sundowns is reported to have expired in June. However, he has remained with the club’s camp, sparking speculation that talks are underway to renew his deal.

Brian Mandela potential stay

His appearance in the friendly match further fuels reports about his potential stay with the club.

In contrast, Joseph Okumu was not included in the KAA Gent squad, as reports suggest he is finalizing his move to French side Reims.

According to French publication Lequipe.fr, Gent has reached an agreement with Reims for the transfer, with the reported deal worth approximately Kshs. 1.8 Billion. The negotiations are said to be focused on personal terms.

The friendly match between Mamelodi Sundowns and KAA Gent was organized after their initially scheduled match with another team was cancelled.\

Sundowns new signings

During the match, Mamelodi Sundowns displayed intent from the start and took the lead with two impressive goals from Rivaldo Coetzee and their new signing, Lucas Ribeiro Costa.

However, KAA Gent showcased their resilience and fighting spirit, equalizing the game through Gift Orban, who scored a brace.

Despite the draw, Coach Mngqithi remained optimistic about the team’s progress. He believed that the friendly match against a formidable opponent like KAA Gent provided valuable insights into areas that needed improvement before the start of the league season.

“I think Gent being the team that plays in that space of confederations Cup or what you will call conference League or Europa League, sometimes it is important to to get a friendly like that and again to make it an ice breaker in a trip like this so that you can really test yourself. I think the boys really did well under the circumstances, it was 2-2, but if you look at the quality of the goals that we scored, both of them were of the highest level. Rivaldo’s cracker and Lucas on his debut in a friendly match scoring such a beautiful goal.”