Rulani praises Sundowns for finishing top of a difficult group
Downs face Tanzania’s Simba or Young Africans, or Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis in the Caf Champions League quarterfinals
03 March 2024 - 18:53
by Marc Strydom
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Mamelodi Sundowns player Lucas Ribeiro fights for ball possession with TP Mazembe player Ibrahima Keita during their Caf Champions League Group A match at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday. Picture: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
Mamelodi Sundowns’ durability they displayed bouncing back from a tough start to end top of a difficult Group A bodes well for the team in the Caf Champions League knockout stage, coach Rulani Mokwena said.
Sundowns ended on 13 points as they beat second-placed TP Mazembe (10 points) 1-0 in Saturday’s battle for top place at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Downs will meet either Tanzania’s Simba or Young Africans, or Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis in the quarterfinals. They avoided the other group winners, Egypt’s Al Ahly, Asec Mimosa’s of Ivory Coast and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.
Also encouraging for the Brazilians as they seek a first title in Africa’s premier interclub competition since 2016 is that Wydad Athletic — so often their nemeses in the knockout stages — are out of the competition.
The Moroccan outfit lost 1-0 at home to Asec as Simba thrashed Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy 6-0, Wydad bowing out in third place on goal difference to the Tanzanian club in group B.
Mokwena praised his team’s resilience in this group campaign.
After a 3-0 home win against FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania, Downs lost 1-0 to Mazembe in Democratic Republic of Congo then were held 0-0 at home by Egypt’s Pyramids to leave their chances of progression up in the air. Sundowns bounced back with a 1-0 win over Pyramids in Cairo and 2-0 victory away to Nouadhibou, that team’s first defeat at home in the group stage.
“It was a difficult group but I think we’ve done exceptionally well to finish on top,” Mokwena said.
“We bounced back after a bit of a patch with the result against Pyramids and result away against Mazembe. We showed good mentality and resolve to bounce back.
“We stressed the importance of winning this game. And also because I think there was a bit of a sour taste after we lost away [against Mazembe], and really maybe undeservedly because we really played well in Lubumbashi.”
Sundowns — who lead the Premier Soccer League by 11 points from second-placed Cape Town City, but with two games in hand — meet TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm).
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Rulani praises Sundowns for finishing top of a difficult group
Downs face Tanzania’s Simba or Young Africans, or Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis in the Caf Champions League quarterfinals
Mamelodi Sundowns’ durability they displayed bouncing back from a tough start to end top of a difficult Group A bodes well for the team in the Caf Champions League knockout stage, coach Rulani Mokwena said.
Sundowns ended on 13 points as they beat second-placed TP Mazembe (10 points) 1-0 in Saturday’s battle for top place at Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Downs will meet either Tanzania’s Simba or Young Africans, or Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis in the quarterfinals. They avoided the other group winners, Egypt’s Al Ahly, Asec Mimosa’s of Ivory Coast and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.
Also encouraging for the Brazilians as they seek a first title in Africa’s premier interclub competition since 2016 is that Wydad Athletic — so often their nemeses in the knockout stages — are out of the competition.
The Moroccan outfit lost 1-0 at home to Asec as Simba thrashed Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy 6-0, Wydad bowing out in third place on goal difference to the Tanzanian club in group B.
Mokwena praised his team’s resilience in this group campaign.
After a 3-0 home win against FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania, Downs lost 1-0 to Mazembe in Democratic Republic of Congo then were held 0-0 at home by Egypt’s Pyramids to leave their chances of progression up in the air. Sundowns bounced back with a 1-0 win over Pyramids in Cairo and 2-0 victory away to Nouadhibou, that team’s first defeat at home in the group stage.
“It was a difficult group but I think we’ve done exceptionally well to finish on top,” Mokwena said.
“We bounced back after a bit of a patch with the result against Pyramids and result away against Mazembe. We showed good mentality and resolve to bounce back.
“We stressed the importance of winning this game. And also because I think there was a bit of a sour taste after we lost away [against Mazembe], and really maybe undeservedly because we really played well in Lubumbashi.”
Sundowns — who lead the Premier Soccer League by 11 points from second-placed Cape Town City, but with two games in hand — meet TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm).
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