Staff Reporter.
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi believes they can exploit the “weak” defence of CAF Champions League opponents Al Ahly of Egypt in Pretoria on Saturday and reach the semifinals.
The South Africans are in an identical position to last season – trailing record nine-time champions Ahly 2-0 entering the second leg of a quarterfinal. The 2020 return match ended 1-1.
“Ahly have a weak defence. They are an attacking team not used to defending. We can exploit that and score multiple goals,” said Mngqithi.
An Ahly defence backed by outstanding goalkeeper Mohamed el Shenawy has kept six clean sheets in nine Champions League outings this season, conceded one goal once and two twice.
Ahly have been a bogey team for Sundowns, winning five of nine previous Champions League meetings and drawing three.
“We have a small advantage (2-0) which gives us confidence and puts pressure on the opposition,” said Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane, who moved to Cairo from Sundowns last September.
While Sundowns boast numerous potential scorers, the overall outcome could hinge on whether they can keep a clean sheet as an Ahly goal would almost certainly prove decisive.
“We’ve worked very hard in the past few days, there’s a lot of optimism that we are capable of turning things around.” – Coach Manqoba Mngqithi
The battle lines have been drawn, we’re ready for tomorrow! ?#Sundowns #TotalCAFCL pic.twitter.com/6gclEceS4C
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 21, 2021
South Africa should have a presence in the semifinals with Chiefs taking a 4-0 lead to Simba of Tanzania.
Chiefs hold a seemingly insurmountable lead, but do not plan on just defending their massive advantage and want to add salt into the wounds of Simba SC by preventing early goals and building onto their lead.
Simba staged the greatest Champions League comeback 42 years ago, winning 5-0 at Mufulira Wanderers of Zambia after losing 4-0 at home, and the current team have not given up hope of another miracle.
“Anything can happen in football,” says current coach Didier Gomes da Rosa. “We must believe in ourselves and be much more aggressive in one-on-one duels.”
Elsewhere Wydad Casablanca are set to take on MC Alger in the CAF Champions League quarterfinal second-leg match at the Stade Mohamed V in Morocco on Saturday.
The Red Castle got a positive result against Alger in the first-leg encounter as the two teams played to 1-1 draw at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algeria last weekend.
Wydad will now be looking to secure a win at home which would see them book their place in the semifinals, while a 0-0 draw would also earn the Moroccan giants a place in the last four.