Final is different

Perhaps fresh in the memories of Masandawana fans is the heartbreaking 2-2 draw in last season’s CAF Champions League’s semi-finals when Mothobi Mvala cored an own goal in the dying inutes of the game to send the Moroccans into the final on the away goal rule following a 0-0 draw in the first leg. Mohlala warns that Downs’ performance this weekend will be different from that encounter. “The feeling of a semi-final and final are not the same. When you play in the semifinal, you know that you are playing to qualify for the next stage of the tournament, but the attitude of playing in the final will be different. This is a cup final, the atmosphere will totally change. This is a do-or-die match. If Sundowns take an early lead at home, they won’t play the way they did in Casablanca. They will play a completely different style. In Casablanca, they were chasing the match and once Wydad scored the first goal, they thought that they could defend their lead and that is what allowed Sundowns to come back. Sundowns must go there and play their hearts out. The fans must play their role and fill the stadium. If you support Sundowns, you must go to the stadium and rally behind the team. We have to do what Wydad fans did when their team was playing at home. The support you get from your home fans is an upper hand and if we go out in numbers, it will frustrate the opponents. The coach can say so much and the rest of what will happen on the pitch is up to a player, and I think Sundowns have all the weapons. They just have to make sure that they finish off the game. Every player that joins Sundowns is there to leave a legacy, you should look at yourself. Players like Hlompho Kekana, Denis Onyango and Esrom Nyandoro all played their part and left a legacy, and now these players must also play to leave a legacy.”