Mamelodi Sundowns get back into continental football duty as they look forward to their weekend CAF Champions League Semi-final clash against Wydad AC. Defender, Grant Kekana shared the team’s mentality for the Champions League mission as they race to claim the second star for the club.
After successfully claiming the domestic league title, Grant spoke about the team’s mentality ahead of the weekend fixture. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves we know that with the results from the first leg of the semifinal, it’s only halftime for us. We’ve got a big game and an important assignment on Saturday. We are happy that we got through with the league and we can now focus on CAF with no distractions.”
Bafana Ba Style lifted their league silverware on Tuesday evening and now shift their focus to the Champions League. The team looks ahead to going head-to-head with Wydad after their 0-0 draw in Casablanca for a spot in the next stage of the competition.
The utility defender communicated that the team is motivated to improve on last season’s exit from the competition. He added that having been at the late Alex Shakoane’s funeral on Tuesday, they will be playing in his for his memory and it will be important for the squad to leave everything on the field when they play on Saturday in order to give themselves a chance to advance to the finals.
“One thing that the coach told us at the beginning of the season was that this group of players needs to write its own history, and I think that we have given ourselves a chance to do that. Getting the second star is something that is big in our minds and hearts, this is the big fish. Nobody is going to distract us, we know the mission and what we need to do to accomplish it”, said Kekana as he expressed the significance of winning the Champions League.
With game day soon approaching, Grant relayed that the Brazilians are motivated and understand that Wydad is also a big team. He acknowledged that it’s going to be a defending task against the defending champions, but they are determined to fight and come out with a victory at home.
Mamelodi Sundowns will face Wydad AC on Saturday, 20 May 2023 for the 2nd leg of the Champions League semi-final. The fixture will take place at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium and will kick off at 15h00.
LET’S DO IT
Rulani Mokoena dug his own grave by persisting on fielding Mvala despite his lack of composure in defending
Rulani Mokoena dug his own grave by persisting on fielding Mvala despite his lack of composure in defending!! Hardy bafana ba styler
Favoritism has costed us a place in the final…..we have been complaining about Mvala n Modiba all season,bt Rhulani is stubborn cos he has his favorites,I’m really upset with this cos it should hv been easly avoided
The coach and the technical team must shoulder the blame because we lost because of poor Team selection , how can you field Mkhulise ahead of Maboe, Domingos , Mailula etc, also the field goal was that of Modiba who also is very poor in defence. The second goal is that of Mbule not Mvala, Mbule’s in experience cost us the game, instead of escorting a player for a throw in ,he causes an unnecessary free kick in a dangerous area, Mvala keep your head up boy, you are not a defender but up to this far you played you part, when under pressure those mistakes do happen.After all if Andile Jali was there, ther was no need for Mbule.Mbule wins balls and losses a lot of balls. Andile jali, Maboe , Zwane Morena and Lackay used to boss the field against Supersport with Mbule Mokoena,Modiba there and now to watch these players playing ahead of the former , is warring.Those who know football, will agree with me that the best center backs currently at sundowns are Boutouil and Kekane and when kekana is not there I would still pick Mvala ahead of every other center back.
Hard luck Masandawana, better luck next time, the coach and the technical team must pull up their socks , we can’t always go down before the final, I think with the material that we have at sundowns ,the Chairman must demand a champions league from them next season ,if they fail ,changes will have to be effected.We can’t always lose out because of poor team selection.We were unfortunate by losing two brilliant players by red card in Morrocco perhaps that is the reason why the technical team were confused in team selection.
I said it b4 that Mvala is a ticking time bomb and it’s going to explode soon and today it’s exploded.The signs were even last weekend and Rulani ignored them as he did throughout the season.Mvala made two dangerous unforced mistakes away and Boutuoil ended up getting a yellow card from one of them,that guy can’t even head the ball.This why I always questioned our analysis or is Rulani just doing what he wants because it seems as we we see what we want to see and ignore the facts and reality about Mvala.He did the same with Bafana at home against Liberia,he failed to control the slow rolling ball alone and instead of letting it go out for a throw in he brought the ball in while he was down and Liberia scored their 1st goal.I think is against Sekhukhune whe we also made unforced error and Lebusa ended up getting yellow card,hence I’m saying during our analysis we see what we want to see and ignore the reality.No matter what circumstances Mvala can’t play ahead of Kekana,De Reuck or Lebusa unless they are all injured even so Coetzee is there.We knew we are vulnerable on setpicies and no one is better than De Reuck or Coetzee and Kekana.Rulani will amaze you not long he said he’s never seen a defender so cool under pressure in the box,when that calmness needed the most he plays a player who guarantee you two or more mistakes every game.Good people listen to good advices no matter who they come from.Arrogance will take nowhere and Rulani will always be Rulani and never learn.You have disappointed the whole SADC region.
@Downs for ever,u couldn’t hv said it better.The signs hv been there all Along,what do we do with our technical analysis cos these things hv been there for more than 15 games,does Rhulani really listen to our technical analysts????? Cos if he does he would hv stopped selecting Mvala long time ago………another thing that I hv picked up is that he is so obsessed with putting Sirino on the bench,when the score was 1-1,he should hv introduced Sirino immediately,bt he opted for a young and wasteful Mailula who gives away possession way too cheaply(and this also should hv come out on our match analysis that Mailula gives away possession way too much),our technical team has repeated the same mistakes that were made in 2019(Pitso persisting with fielding Maboe)and in 2022(Manqoba&Rhulani playing Brian Onyango) and now in 2023(Rhulani with his favorite Mvala),stubbornness will never win us anything
Downs4ever you nailed broer!! Mvala will never help us in that position!! Mailula and Nassir they have been doing well of late!! Bringing them was just a waist of substitutes in such a match!! Sirino could have introduced as a first substitute earlier because of his trickery and speed!! Rulani didn’t read the game at all when the situation was unfolding!! His problem is that he things he knows it all! Mvala can never play ahead of Rushine and Grant in that position in a fair selection creteria!!