Mamelodi Sundowns are gearing up for another major test this season, where they are set to face Al Ahli Saudi in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup on Saturday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld.
Masandawana shift their focus from domestic duties, where they have secured a spot in the final of the MTN8. Furthermore, they leave the league seating on the summit of the tally. Speaking to goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, he hopes the good form they have carried this season in domestic competitions can carry them in the crucial test against Al Ahli.
“It’s obviously key and important to start the season on a positive note and we’ve done that. We have done extremely well in the league and in the MTN8 where we are through to the final and now there’s a big one to look forward to. We have been on good form and hopefully it can carry us through against Al Ahli. It’s a home game for us and we have done exceptionally well at home. So, hopefully that can help us to get the job done and lift the first trophy of the season,” the skipper said a s he looked ahead to Saturday’s fixture.
The Brazilians qualified for the Intercontinental Cup following their historic CAF Champions League title they won last season in Morocco – their second in the Club’s history. Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia side – who are back-to-back Asian Champions League winners – earned their meeting with the South African side after winning 1-0 against Auckland FC in the African-Asian-Pacific play-off match. Coming from such a result, Williams believe Al Ahli won’t be an easy opponent to face.
“We know it’s going to be a difficult game. Al Ahli are back-to-back Asian champions. So, our work will be cut out for us. This will also give us an opportunity to see the level that we are at as Mamelodi Sundowns.”
“They are team with a lot of experience and high quality players and they score a lot of goals. It’s going to be a good game, we just need to prepare well. We look forward to this exciting and massive match,” he continued.
Bafana Ba Style will hope to not only progress to the next stage of the competition where they will face the winner of the FIFA Derby of Americas, they will also hope to lift the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup in their home turf in front of the Yellow Nation.
Mamelodi Sundowns will host Al Ahli Saudi on Saturday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld. Kick-off has been scheduled for 15H00, live on SuperSport TV and SABC Sports.
But Williams you will be one that is making a lot of mistake once the first whistle blow because of being casual.
Once the occasion or the mood at the stadium is electrifying you just become compleceny including Kekana and I’m happy that Pitso will end of all that on national team.
Even during World Cup games you’re boring even people on the stand were busy whistle blowing your behaviour just for once practice sense of urgency,Leon and our fellow strikers can score an avalanche of goals if you can do that My fear if we can score first that’s where your nonsense starts forgetting that the game is not over,mina I prefer being led by a goal because you don’t do often all of the above I blame our previous coaches for this slowly build ups even when it’s not necessary.
Muzi u were spot on about Williams its so annoying to see this having these childish moments&he exactly dd that at a crucial time like that.Again the injury to Grant Kekana an unwarranted pass that went across Williams.I say thank you Grant for the injury bcoz u r learning nothing from your amateurish mistakes.Bt anyway great result and congratulations yesterday a game that put us on another level again to compete with creme de la creme of this world.We scooped another top level prize money&it went straight to the Soweto teams.2 goals from an unlikely source and it will go a long way and there’s one thing different about last season’s Sundowns to this Sundowns of 2026/27 on the dying minutes of the game we have the tendency to score of which is a good habit.Congatulations coach&your players for a splendid performance,the opponent was very tough and more experienced than us bt under those circumstances victory favored us.
Very much happy members are able to see the negative play between Kekana and Williams,i even told my friends before the game that Kekana is going to be the first player to make a ball back to the keeper and indeed it was like that and even after half time he was the first player to play the ball back to the keeper.I’m really sorry to say this,i wish he can be out for a long time because after the introduction of Khoza we were solid at the back and the balls were moving forward fast.Kekana can’t even run to cover the right back.I don’t know what the technical team sees in him because if we can revert back to the last games of the league after an injury to Cupido we started conceding many goals when Kekana was playing infact ,we conceded 7 goals in 2 games.He did not play the CAF finals and we conceded only one goal in 2 games via a penalty.I still salute a person who decided to play an injured Cupido otherwise we would have kissed that final goodbye like the way Kekana did in the 2nd leg final against Pyramids when the same Kekana gave Mayele ball to score.I call him Mr back pass.Back to the Saturday games you made the whole Continent proud and let us take the same spirit to the MTN8 final,with professionalism and respect at the back and hunger we can easily do it.