Tunis test for Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns will have to secure a rare South African success in Tunisia if they are to overcome Esperance and take control of their African Champions League group.
Pitso Mosimane’s side take on the Tunis giants on Wednesday and defeat could see them cut adrift in third in the pool and facing an uphill battle to make the quarterfinals.
Esperance lead the pool with seven points‚ followed by St George from Ethiopia with five. Sundowns have four and AS Vita Club are yet to break their duck after three straight defeats.
Sundowns must still travel to Ethiopia and then host Vita Club in the remainder of the campaign‚ but could find themselves four points adrift if they lose to Esperance and St George beat the out-of-sorts Congolese.
And history is not on their side. South African clubs have played 14 times in Tunisia in African club competition and won just twice.
Those wins came when Kaizer Chiefs claimed a 1-0 success at Club Africain as they were victorious in the 2001 African Cup Winners’ Cup. Orlando Pirates won 1-0 at CS Sfaxien on their way to the 2015 African Confederation Cup final.
Sundowns lost 3-2 at Esperance in the Champions League in 2000 and drew 0-0 there in the same competition in 2001.
Despite their patchy form and the tough task ahead‚ skipper Hlompho Kekana still feels they have set the benchmark in the 2017 competition.
“We need the points‚ perhaps more than they do‚ and if we play our normal game‚ I see us winning‚” Kekana said.
“We are no longer underdogs, but rather the team to beat. It is normal for defending champions to be put under pressure.
“We are getting stronger mentally and we will never give up. We are testing ourselves‚ our character and how we handle ourselves,” he said.
Tunisian police have authorised a crowd capacity of 30,000 for Wednesday’s match.
According to Tunisian media reports‚ the Group C clash‚ which starts at 10pm local time (11pm South African time)‚ has been keenly awaited.
Since the turmoil of the Arab Spring seven years ago that led to mass public demonstrations and the swift toppling of a longstanding regime in Tunisia‚ crowds at football matches have been restricted.
Security officials fear large gatherings could lead to demonstrations and more civil unrest.
The stadium at Rades‚ on the outskirts of Tunis‚ can hold up to 60,000.
A less intimidatory atmosphere will work to Sundowns’ advantage, although the clubs’ experience in the Champions League over the past three years has rendered them largely immune to barracking from rival supporters. /