Coach Rulani has suggested that his charges’ focus is entirely on unleashing their full potential in the CAF Champions League. Aiming to march forward to the semi-finals, Masandawana will be looking to be at their level best and defeat Tanzanian outfit, Young Africans SC at home on Friday evening.
The return fixture will take place following a 0-0 stalemate in the first leg of the quarterfinals when Yanga played hosts in Dar es Salaam last weekend. Heading to what will be the decider, coach Rulani previewed the clash, stating that it won’t be an easy one, as the team anticipates.
“We are looking forward to what will be a very interesting game. I did say that Yanga are a very good side and you can see with their results and performances in their domestic league. They have a good coach in Miguel Ángel Gamondi and some good players in the team that have experience from some reputable countries. We expect a very difficult game on Friday, of course one that we are ready for,” he said.
The Johannesburg-born tactician further stated regardless of his men having home ground advantage and dominating possession in the first leg, they won’t be letting their guard down and undermine their counterparts. His charges are also looking to capitalise on previous experience to assist them in advancing to the next round.
“We are in a space where we have to think positive about the game. nothing else matters for us right now except for the 90 minutes. The focus is being at our best, understanding that Yanga are actually coming here to play the best team on the continent and we’ve got to be ready for that,” coach Rulani stated.
“The biggest lesson in the CAF games is that you can’t get too comfortable because the moment you get comfortable you are more vulnerable. Away from home where the score is 0-0, the potential of counterattacks can spin the narrative of the game. So, we will have to be very careful with our possession and when we feel comfortable. We have been in this situation before and hopefully that’s the experience we can use,” he continued.
In closing, coach Rulani emphasised the significance of having their 12th man, the Yellow Nation, on the stands on Friday evening. He maintains that the team’s performance relies on the supporters and the continuous singing which encourages them.
“Tomorrow the supporters will have to play and I asked them to play the way they played in the AFL against Al Ahly. We won that game because of our supporters. Not for any moment in the 90 minutes were they quiet and the drum kept being beaten. I honestly believe that if they come out in numbers, fill up the stadium and make it yellow on Friday, we will get an extra push. They also can’t suffer with us when we suffer, they’ve got to come, energise us and push us. If that can happen on Friday, then we’ve got a big advantage.”
Mamelodi Sundowns do go head-to-head with Young Africans SC for the semi-final spot in the CAF Champions League on Friday evening at Loftus Versfeld. Kick off has been scheduled for 20H00 and gates open at 16H00.
Let me be hopeful for the 2nd half, maybe Rhulani might bring something different. You just can’t play the same pattern for more than 135 minutes without noticing there’s a problem with the system if you’re not getting the desired results. There’s no service to the strikers at all, and we played the same pattern midweek against Richards Bay
Our players are flat, they will not score.
Dalom and Kick..you were right members….but let me start by congratulating Masandawana for a hard fought victory…honestly lot of factors in that game…1 the refree I don’t know what was his mission but he didn’t help us….imagine opposing VAR decision something even European referees never do…a clear red card..shame on that refree….back to Sundowns my coaches you killing these boys Marcello Riberio Mshishi were the Best culprit and it was like were overloaded in the middle..because players mentioned didn’t have control of their own game not to mention coaches plan….Rhulani I know you trying to have a good relationship with so called big boys…but be careful…they starting to see you as a friend even when you wearing a coach cap…look at you subs…you new Neo and Sirino will give us something better Mandieta deserve a nod before Maseko…who is always running to people like Mnvula Hadebe!!!…stop this proctet this young man…he still need to sit with technical and tectical team…tell him his weaknesses and strengths show him why is always getting it wrong…I believe him..looking up on Morena game cane help him…stop this Gaston Maema hatred siyabonakala..and players are humans enough to feel it…uyazi futhi suyazi..combination of Maema Mshishi Gaston always work for Shasha!…angiphiki south Americans are good but..close to good for nothing angibandlululi but..abaphasi..and either abo Riberio abakholelwa ukuphasela no 9..always selfish..izolo he was losing the ball..but no one is calling him to order..not necessarily shout at him..but pull him aside even Mshishi he never got involved and imagine our creative plan was dead Marcello and Tebza the goats!!of back passes and side ways I give them a hand shake…so how Shasha will be treat to the opposition…MEMBERS ALWAYS COMPLAIN AB FAVORITISM STOP THIS NONSENSE…imagine what players are going through…where is Nasir next thing you will loan him to your business friends Chippa…again thanks no goalkeeper in Africa Williams boy please stay humble…but we can’t always rely on you saving the team….Khuliso..Kekana..you were amazing..Devine trust yourself and all will be good…was hoping to see Aubas later but where..since our Coaches decided to win position stats..instead of wanting to score from the first whistle and this thing of allowing to be bullied at home…stop it..cishe nashawa abantu ngakini..babonile nase groundin bebenikhahlela..nizofa impama ka Denise Lota..
Cishe ngakhohlwa…Sundowns players must know this..the best thing about being Masandawana supporters is to see south Africa yonke iminyile!!ukuba sidliwe…yeyyi..balele manje izifuba zibuhlungu…with their domestic mind…yingakho when we argue they just say noo Backdoor star….or they are a big teams in south Africa if I asked how bathi..banalandeli abaningi…imagine..tem yabo can not prove how they bigger than Sundowns team..not bigger then Sundowns fans..it’s not fan vs fans..but nithi..big team how….I agree we don’t have bigger fans like them but we have a bigger team..not fan base victory…labantu abisimele studio..think and represent Sundowns kwi Fan base..wake up..Kabuyellow
Difficult win, I agree with all the above comments, our team is regressing, you don’t see where a goal will come from, thot members were exaggerating when they complain about moving the ball slowly, but I see it now, even at home where we need to put them under aggressive pressure, we still push the ball around. It took opponents less than 5 seconds to get into our half & created good scoring chances. Am not sure if the team is tired or the tactics employed, but we will soon run out of luck. There need to be a change soon.
Gents, let’s also credit to our former coach, Miguel Gamondi. The man had a proper game plan for us, and he was just unlucky to win this game. Yanga played exactly the way I’ve been asking of our team, vary your play. We’re no longer dependent on our wingers these days, we’re just packing the middle field which is limiting us in terms of creating chances. We’re only good against the North African teams, because they lack speed.
We just can’t rely on luck to win games, we are just obsessed with with useless ball possession,had that team scored we wouldn’t be going to the next round because we had 70% plus in that game,no team has ever won a game or cup with ball possession,we need to put more emphasis on scoring goals not on possession.No team or a player has ever been awarded for superior ball possession. I’m currently watching Man City vs Palace,City plays possession with purpose,they spend more time in the opposition’s half.Our scoring problems starting towards the end of last year when we drew against the likes of Polokwane City and Cape Town City and it seems no one is not giving attention to that problem.Our play lacks hunger and aggression,we play like we are forced to play or like we’re on hunger strike.We lacked the Mandieta,Maboe,Nku,Mabena and Maema bite.When was the last time we scored more than mere two goals?,this is the results of playing names and friends not merit.
I’m happy we won but this things of programming players like robots is wrong, why do we on using the same formation even though is not giving us results? on Tuesday we scores at the last minute and again Friday. it seems like we struggle when we play low block defending teams and our coach don’t have solution for that.
Mina guys I think the the Technical department is running out of ideas!! Firstly the nonsense that Rhulani once spoke about he does not believe in wing play?? So now tell how do you break the low block if you don’t go wide and get behind the full backs?? Playing through middle in pockets it’s easy for the opponents to defend that!! They just pack the midfield and stay behind the ball and you will go nowhere!! The problem is that of spending too time in our half playing back passes hoping the opponent will and create space them, but what if they don’t press us high?? We just continue playing in our half without creating anything for the strikers!! How will our strikers score when there no creativity up front instead most of the passes are back and side ways? Rhulani’s game is failing us!! He does not know how to deal with low blocks!! Watch Arsenal and how it breaks the low blocks with so much easy!! We need to change our game plan!! We need to spend more time in the opposition territory in order for us to create chance for the strikers!!
This thing of ineffective ball possession is annoying us,we can’t copy something which is not working,i heard plays are told to copy Brighton and if we can check the very same Brighton scored one goal in the last three games and we also scored one goal in the last three games,a sane minded person cannot copy that is yielding negative results.The primary purpose of playing a game is for a win and to win a game you need to score goals.When you watch the like of Arsenal and Liverpool the take 5 seconds to enter the opponents’ box after dispossessing them but,us we take forever.Sometimes we would think Shaulile is off form when the reality is he waits forever to receive a ball,he helps the team when defending and the team doesn’t help him when attacking.Let us play effective and efficient soccer.Arsenal had more possession and goals than Brighton.