Mamelodi Sundowns hosted the media at Chloorkop this morning at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash in the CAF Champions League. Sundowns go into the game trailing by two goals to one following last week’s defeat away in Angola to Atletico Petroleos.
Speaking to the press ahead of the game, Co-Coach Manqoba Mngqithi was asked what the fans can expect from the team on Saturday: “We will stick to our playing concept, we are a team that wants to dominate the field and dominate the ball. Dominating the field means winning all duels, winning all our 1v1 battles and also dominating the ball possession and chances created. We want to see our team giving us what we are used to. It’s no different to a game that starts at nil-nil, we always want to score, we always want to win”
“We want to play a high octane game, where we have a strong elements of high pressing and strong quick short passing.”
Last week Saturday’s game saw Downs have an equaliser ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the dying minutes of the game and Coach Manqoba reflected on the decision and the use of VAR as a whole:
“It’s a little bit of a challenge, but perhaps it’s something we have to adapt to. We’ve seen in [European football] when there is something dubious, you expect the referee to go to the screen, however it seems in Africa they choose when they go check the screen.”
In the build up to the game, Masandawana have been activating support structures across Gauteng in order to build excitement ahead of the weekend’s crunch clash. Thursday morning saw the club open its doors to let spectators attend the first team’s training session at the clubs headquarters in Chloorkop. Coach Manqoba expressed his excitement in strengthening the connection between the fans and the players with this initiative:
“To be honest I think its the best decision, I’ve seen it with many European teams. I think it brings a sense of ownership for the spectators when they see the preparations, they don’t take things for granted. [When the fans have this sense of ownership] at times they will get disappointed, at times they will get satisfied, so it’s very important.”
“What we always try put into the minds of the players is that they must give the fans a reason to want to come watch them for in the next match. This means they should put on a spectacle, regardless of the result, if you show that you have left a piece of your skin on the pitch, you are saying ‘we have done our best’ and at times its not the result that will bring people back.”
Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit this weekend in the second leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final this Saturday against Atletico Petroleos.
Ahead of kick the club will be creating a sensational vibe at the stadium in our first-ever Supporter Appreciation Day, to prepare the fans to support the team! For more information, click HERE .
All the Best to the Yellow Nation, all the Best Coaches and all the best to the team. Only what l can say, we have walked this way before. We know what to expect on the day, fire works!The Coach puts it well,’ a High octane game’ kuzoshuba. I support this, we actually feel provoked. They are a good opposition that deserve a hiding. By the way the sky is the Limit,at quarter finals we are allowed to respect them with 4 goals in the first half, then we put the icing on the cake second half to make sure that goal Aggregate looks like of preliminary rounds.Its only the trust we have for our team.We will meet there!We know the home work is fully done. We can sing and rejoice .KBY