Mamelodi Sundowns are geared up for the Saturday evening CAF Champions League quarterfinal encounter against CR Belouizdad. Defender, Thapelo Morena talked about the significance of the match ,and the team’s mindset going into the first game of the two-legged action in the continental competition.
Playing an away fixture on Saturday evening in Algeria, Thapelo Morena touched on how the team will approach playing away from home. “We know that with the supporters behind them, it’s going to be a difficult encounter for us to play. But I trust and believe in my teammates that we will lift our hands and deliver the desired and positive results for Mamelodi Sundowns.“
Morena added that the squad is aware of the importance of the game to the entire Mamelodi Sundowns club, including the supporters. He mentioned that the team knew that playing in Algeria wouldn’t be easy but are willing to put on an impressive performance on the pitch.
Looking at the records of the two teams, they’ve both had impressive runs in the CAF Champions League and their respective domestic leagues. The Algerian side is currently on the way to their fourth consecutive Algerian Ligue 1 win and is at the top of the log. On the other hand, Bafana Ba Style claimed their sixth consecutive league title this month when they were crowned as the earliest league title winners in the PSL.
“I think that the most important thing for us as a team is to play the match the best way we know how to. It doesn’t matter where we play the game because what is important are the results and performances after the game”, said the Masandawana utility player as he expressed where their focus is going into the game and what their priorities are as a team looking for a win.
Having displayed great form in the group stages of the competition, Mamelodi Sundowns go into this game with their mission to claim the second star in mind. The Brazilians will be battling for a win in order to better their chances of securing a spot in the semi-finals of the competition.
Mamelodi Sundowns will meet with CR Belouizdad on Saturday, 22 April 2023. The Champions League fixture will take place at the Nelson Mandela Stadium and will kick off at 21h00.
