Aiming to head back to winning ways in the group stages of the CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns will host Egyptian side, Pyramids FC on Sunday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld.
Masandawana see themselves back on continental duty after slightly shifting their focus on the domestic league, where they faced AmaZulu on an away game on Wednesday evening. Downs midfielder, Neo Maema, stated the difficulties of manoeuvring between the different competitions and how his team focuses on one game at a time.
“I think it’s very different when you play the CAF Champions League because of the competition and the demand of the game. Playing different competitions in a space of a week forces us to shift our mindsets very quickly and to make sure that we are well prepared for the next game,” he said.
All the teams in Group A are sitting on three points, with the Pretoria-based side topping the points column on goal difference. This according to Maema, is testament to the intensity of the competition and how every team is adamant on beating their opponents and collecting maximum points.
“It’s always the same thing in every group. Teams want to ensure they collect as much points as possible. It shows the level of the competition. To be honest, it’s very difficult to play a competition like the CAF Champions League. Every team is the best in their respective countries, making the competition even tougher,” Maema stated.
Bafana Ba Style come from a defeat in Lubumbashi against TP Mazembe, however, despite falling behind in the past weekend, they have been gearing up for the encounter against the Heirs of the Pharaohs and will ensure that they enjoy the game, especially because they will be playing on home soil.
“What happened to us yesterday is not important to us today. All we are in control of right now is what’s ahead, which is the encounter against Pyramids FC. Their team as a whole is very competitive. They are very fast and technically very good, so we just have to prepare and make sure that we fight those threats that they will pose against us. Playing at home is always an advantage so we’ll ensure that we cover everything that we need to know about them,” said Maema.
Maema concluded by expressing his joy of playing at home and having the 12th man on the stands supporting the team. Furthermore, he believes that the beat of the drum is what will keep the team going in the 90 minutes of the match.
“It’s always nice to play at home in front of your supporters. Hearing the drum during the match always motivates us and keeps us going throughout the game, especially when things are getting difficult. They also appreciate us when things are going well. Their support will definitely work in our favour because we know very well that they will come out in numbers and support the team.”
Mamelodi Sundowns do clash against Pyramids FC on Sunday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld. Kick-off is at 15H00.
I will be there
We played without a structure and this thing of being structure less it worked against the team!!
Our first half was like the continuation of Amazulu’s game,we played like it was training’s 6 each side with no poles.We continue to play purposeless and aimless ball at the back.I watched Tottenham vs Newcastle,Girona vs Barca and Man U vs Bournemouth and the difference between our so called building from the back and that of the European teams is that,Downs play at the back and those teams are building from the back and when the see an opening they bounce.They build at the back going forward and once a keeper passes a ball the next player also makes a forward pass,and Downs make lot of passes to the keeper.One other thing killing our game is,every player with the ball always look for Zwane even when others are in a better position.If we don’t stop with this nonsense of playing too much balls at the back with no purpose we are surely going no where.Our keeper receives more balls than our strikers to sure that we are spending much time at the wrong end of the field hence we are not scoring.It is discouraging to use your hard earned money so go to the stadium and be served out with that annoying football.It is good to build from the back going forward not taking 2 steps forward and the take 8 steps backward.If we want to play at the back let us play without the strikers and play with only ball controlling players because,we starve our offensive players from the ball.
The problem is the coach wanting to play his favourites. I was hoping he will build on a team that played Supersport Utd. We were very much lucky to come out of that game with a draw. We robbed AmaZulu as well. I’ve always complained about this thing of players coming back from the injury snd and walk straight into the starting 11. It’s very clear that there’re certain players that needs to be rested, otherwise it’s not gonna end well, I see Pyramids and TP Mazembe going through to the next round
Ronza receives more balls than any other player on the pitch!! Balls hardly reach Shalulile because the players from middle field always look to play when they are in possession!! We more in our own half than in the opposition’s half!! There is nothing wrong in building from the back but once you built up the ball need to go forward to the attacking players very quickly so that the opposition can caught off guard!! Once you delay bringing the ball forward like what Sundowns is doing it becomes hard to open low block and well coached team like Pyramids!!
On the playing personnel I feel serino should have started ahead of Maseko!! Serino could have be an answer to turn the defensive players around there opening spaces for other attacking players to run to!! Maseko plays more direct with speed but he lacks dribbling skills to beat defenders and he ends up just pushing the ball forward and running after it!! Pyramids is too smart for that kind of a game!! It’s going to be difficult to come out of this group and Rhulani will be be inferior tactical astudeness!! He is up against very experienced and clever coaches with the same quality of players!!
Teboho Mokoena is the main culprit. He hardly plays the ball to the front and at the same time he can’t protect the ball. We’re so vulnerable at the back without Riva and Mvala. The coach even made matters worse by introducing Morena at left back while Mashego was there. Let’s admit it, Morena is still very far from reaching the match fitness he had before the injury
I don’t know what wrong with Mashego for the coach to play Morena on the left whilist he had a left back on the bench?? Tebogo Mokoena is not a 6 to be honest!! He is a 8!! Even supersport played him at that position!! Brooks plays as a 8 in the national team!! Rhulani does not want to play with a natural 6!!Ruvaldo covers both 4 and 6 when he plays and Tebogo gets protected by that system but if he plays as 6 without Ruvaldo he is very poor in that position!! Bathusi Aubaas is our natural 6 if he can fit other Tebogo needs another pivot in the midfield for him to perform better!! His first touch is not good and he fails to protect the ball in many instances!! Things will be difficult in Cairo against the same Pyramids if the coach does change the playing personnel and the system a bit!!
Heita masandawana, I agree with you members. we played the game with no structure and the commitment from the players was not there. I see it from amazulu’s game and against pyramid maseko didn’t give us nothing going forward, he loses the ball to much.
I might be wrong, but for me most players looked sluggish or tired, maybe this taxing program is starting to get to them. We’ve won so many games Mokoena playing there, yesterday he was out, but I think I understood the reason of playing Morena there. Allende and Zwane were also not so sharp. I also agree that Serino should have start ahead of Maseko, but all is not lost, I still believe in them, and we can beat this Pyramid. Maybe they need to practice taking shots outside the box, those guys were extremely good at closing the spaces. I have no problem with playing from the back, I think we just need to move the ball quicker once we crossed the center.
Masadawana,after winning the AFL our players are no longer playing serious footaball,the likes of Mudau,Mokoene and Zwane they play as if they don’t have opponents, our game lacks commitment and we also lack leadership in the pitch,Zwane lacks leadership skills,since he took over as captain he is the number one ill-discipline player in the team,instead of calming the situations he always throws a hand at the ref or opponents,he got many yellow cards unnecessarily so.There are only two players who always give 100% every game who are deserving captains,Lebusa and Shalulile,even Costa whenever in possession he always try to turn to take us forward others are just playing for fun,we are no longer the same without Riva.Some coaches decisions a very much questionable Nassir can’t come from injury and play ahead of Sirino in the game of that magnitude.
Moripi broe..you not wrong..let me answer you since the coach..won’t…..our players look to relaxed…the reason is Mlungisi….it is sad…I think..he is celebrated too much..look.at the body posture of Manqoba..he is a shadow of himself….it’s my opinion I could be wrong…..this system of keeping the ball…is miss understood by Mlungisi..and his technical team….keeping the ball and ball position has to be both..in our half and the opponent half and finished between the sticks…what good is when you keep the ball in your own half…it’s exactly what sundowns is doing these..day…and we not a threat to any team..but..surely the bragging right of position Stat is our..but we didn’t win….check our Stat again Pyramid….Mlungisi..speaks of Diamond shape/pivot/pocket of space/and forget to mention 0-0..score line…..enough of this…..Downs4ever…my broe…Mlungisi..believe Gaston is Gingles discovery…so he must come with his own players and achieve this…kungathiwa Pisto bought this guy…even Pisto..had the same problem..and we were criticized of killing players career in Pisto reign….Nassir/Maseko..are never better then Gaston…but..I even saw..Manitoba only shook Gaston hand when he was introduced….Nassir need some time…Gaston is fit…I’m not say he can play alone and win all the games..but..Allende..is tired..Mshishi..is tired…we have the bench…look how hungry is Sphelele…Ribeiro was not for that game..he was off…I don’t know what to say about Nku……bring Onyango..back…Williams is too comfortable and look like a King of goal post..at Sundowns…instead Mlungis..will put Ryaard in goal…that how he has managed to stay..in my team..thus long..I don’t know…one season he played two games qha…but..other we’re loan out..him stayed behind…not to mention his movies when he’s playing..goals of the momish but..he’s got the medals of honor