Local sides on the back foot after Confederation Cup weekend
Mamelodi Sundowns, SuperSport United and Platinum Stars all slipped up in their own backyards, as the trio were held to draws in the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup this past weekend.
Matsatsantsa had to come back from behind twice against Guinean side Horoya AC in a thrilling 2-2 draw in a Confederation Cup Group D match in Atteridgeville. Stuart Baxter admitted that a draw at home is not at all a positive result, but was pleased with the performance, and was not surprised by how Horoya played.
“When we got the intelligence on Horoya, we saw that they are a team that likes to pass the ball and they are a dynamic team, they are not a team that plays very deep.
“I am pleased with the way the boys approached the game, but a draw at home is always not a good result. The boys showed great character to come back twice,” said Baxter (right).
Pitso Mosimane, meanwhile, rued his side’s lack of composure up front after they were held to a goalless draw by Ethiopian side Saint George in the Champions League. Sundowns will next face their old nemesis in DR Congo’s AS Vita in Kinshasa. Vita lost their opening Group C match 3-1 to Esperance in Tunisia.
“Last year we scored two goals at home, but this year we start like this, and it doesn’t look good,” lamented Mosimane.
He is however confident that they can put up a good showing in Kinshasa in a week’s time. Vita beat Sundowns 1-0 in Kinshasa in last year’s 2016 Champions League final qualifying round first leg match. The Congolese side ended up winning on the away goals rule, but they were later disqualified from the competition, with Sundowns taking their place in the group stages.
“The players know what is going to happen in Congo, they will roll up their sleeves, I know my team, they want the difficult ones. It is not tough because the team is very good, it is tough because the mentality is totally different,” added Mosimane.
Calvin Johnson’s Dikwena also came back from behind to secure a point in a 1-1 draw with Algerian outfit MC Alger in a Caf Confederation Cup’s Group B match in Phokeng.