Mosimane is not impressed
Defending Africa champs in draw
PITSO Mosimane knows where the CAF Champions League will go this year if Mamelodi Sundowns continue to play like they did in their goalless draw with Saint George on Saturday – not back to Chloorkop.
“This performance will not win you the Champions League. I think that we have forgotten that we are the defending champions‚” Mosimane said.
Mosimane has to remind his team that they are the Kings of Africa if they are to become only the third team‚ after Al-Ahly and TP Mazembe‚ to retain this coveted trophy.
So far even the people who have watched Sundowns in the Champions League would be forgiven for assuming that this isn’t the best team in the continent.
The Brazilians have struggled to stamp their authority‚ scraping past Kampala Capital City Authority to get to the group stage and being held by the Ethiopian side in their own backyard.
The difference this year is that Sundowns start this campaign with all eyes on them.
They have struggled to get over that attention‚ looking totally different from the all-conquering team of last year. That team played with a lot of freedom.
They were not expected to win a tournament they got into the group stage of after the club that qualified ahead of them‚ AS Vita‚ were kicked out for fielding a suspended player.
Mosimane told his players in that campaign to enjoy themselves. They did and they ended up conquering the continent.
“It’s easy to say that teams know you now‚” Mosimane said.
“Maybe teams know us‚ but there was no football [against Saint George]. This was a Sunday League game. A nice Sunday game for over 30s.
“We were passing the ball. Let’s be honest, if it was tough for us to penetrate then I would say maybe that’s the reason the teams now know us.
“I don’t think that it was difficult. With a month’s training session‚ I could have put my boots back on and played [in this game]. I could have done something.”
Tunisia’s Esperance top Sundowns’ group after the first round with three points.
The Brazilians and Saint George follow with a point each while Vita are at the bottom.
Sundowns’ next match in the Champions League will be against the Democratic Republic of Congo side on May 24 in Kinshasa.
“I think that’s what they want, to go to Kinshasa‚” Mosimane said.
“That’s where the drive is. They know what’s going to happen there. I think there they will roll up their sleeves and do well. I know my team.
“I think they want the difficult ones. These [easy) ones‚ I don’t