Mamelodi Sundowns beat TP Mazembe 1-0 at home to win their fourth game in the CAF Champions League group stages. The team currently sits on top of Group B with twelve points.. A first-half goal from Lebohang Maboe was enough to seal the victory for The Brazilians on Tuesday evening. The win meant that Bafana Ba Style are the first team to qualify for the last eight of the tournament.
“I think in the first half we showed purpose, we kept the ball better, we found some good moments in spaces with our eights. I still believe in the consolidation phase we did better, but in the attacking third we made a lot of mistakes technically and we ended up losing possession in areas where we were not under tremendous pressure. If you were to check most of their dangerous moments were when we lost the ball around the D-line. When they did that we relied a lot on counter-pressing.”, said Coach Manqoba Mngqithi.
Masandawana is one of the few sides who have not registered a defeat in this seasons CAF Champions League and have managed to secure a place in the knockout phases.
“Our focus is on each game that comes, honestly speaking, for Sundowns to qualify for the quarter-finals is what is expected. We can’t say we have done something big by qualifying because that is what we have been doing these past years. This season is a little bit tighter if you were to look at our last league fixtures in May, you will realise that whatever we need to do we must do it quicker in the Champions League so that we give ourselves a breather. Even in the league, it would be nice if in the last five games we will arrive not looking for too many points.”
The Brazilians have played twenty-five games in all competitions and have not lost a game since the defeat to Bloemfontein Celtic in the MTN 8. Next up the focus changes to the DStv Premiership as the team prepares to take on Lidoda Duvha.
Now that Shaulile is suspended,I think if we can play our one size fits all(Maboe) upfront to maintain that high pressing and play Riva,AJ and Mkulise in the middle we are gonna be home safe.I pray that we wrap up this league early and refresh the team,we don’t want to suffer the same as Liverpool and Barcelona, even Man City went through the same thing last season.We must learn from others ‘mistakes. With the likes of Makgawla,Mkhize,Mkuma,Magerman Domingo,Goss,February and Kapinga the future looks very bright,we just have to believe in them,including those who are on loan,the likes of Phewa and Modise.
Congrats on the progress to the knockout stages in the CAF Champions league!!! 💪🏾👏🏾🔥💛👆🏾
Focus should now be on ensuring we get 3 points from our next opponent in the league and win all outstanding games to tighten our grip on that top spot. Keep up the performance guys!!! 💪🏾🔥
MOTUPA, AFFONSO, MAKGALWA, MKHUMA ARE THERE AS STRIKERS GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO SHINE AND THEY CAN DO IT THAT EVER STRONG SHALULILE IS TEMPORARY NOT THERE