Soumahoro: We’ll go for the jugular
Man-mountain Mamelodi Sundowns defender Bangaly Soumahoro insists the Brazilians will not take their foot off the pedal when they host Seychelles side Cote d’Or in the second leg of their Caf Champions League group stage qualifier tonight.
Sundowns thrashed the islanders 5-0 away earlier this month and Soumahoro says when they meet at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Sundowns are looking to score more than five goals and send a message to the rest of Africa.
“We are ready to beat them again, if we can score six or seven it will be good for us because the other teams are watching us will maybe become scared. We are preparing well for this game and we have to respect every team, even if we beat them (in the first leg), they are playing in the Champions League so it means they are a good team,” he said.
Downs are gunning for yet another appearance in the group stages and are looking to do better than last season where they crashed out in the semifinals.
“If you are a big team and a good team you have to always be in the group stages to compete against the best. We are looking forward to this one and hopefully this season we will win the second one (Sundowns won the Caf Champions League in 2016). This year we are looking to go to the final and win the cup and we will do our best like we always do.
“Sometimes it may seem easy but it is not because the games are always different,” said Soumahoro.
Meanwhile, his coach Pitso Mosimane says he is likely to field a similar team to that which that humiliated Cote d’Or in the firstleg, insisting that he wants to see his team find the back of the net and play to the best of their potential.
“I need ... goals ... that team is not strong, the resistance is not that big so they must score the goals. I will probably play the same team. Andile Jali deserves to play as well, he played well in Seychelles and he will probably play, so that he can get his confidence up.”