Must-win games for Downs
● Pretoria club set their sights high for supremacy in the Caf Champions League
AS Togo-Port’s bottom position in Group C of the 2018 Caf Champions League makes Mamelodi Sundowns’ back-toback matches against the West Africans a must-win matter‚ Brazilians attacker Sibusiso Vilakazi says.
Sundowns are not quite at desperation stages yet‚ despite starting with two draws – 1-1 at home against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca and 2-2 in Guinea against Horoya.
Six points against Association Sportive Togo-Port – in Lome on Tuesday, then back at Atteridgeville’s Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday next week – would see Downs back in the driving seat for at least second place‚ and qualification for the quarterfinals.
But maximum points from one of the games‚ and perhaps a point from the other‚ would seem the minimum requirement for 2016 champions Sundowns to keep their ambition of regaining their title on track.
“The most important thing‚ since we are playing the side who are lowest‚ is to keep them there‚” Vilakazi said.
“We haven’t had the greatest start‚ as we would have wanted to. But at least we’ve been able to get points out of the games we’ve played.
“It’s up to us to go away and try to get a win.
“Because of the disappointing start we must at least try to get a win playing away [against AS Togo].
“That’s the reality – that we have to go in there and try to get a win.
“The target is to win the Champions League again.
“And with the team we have I believe we are capable of going all the way.
“In the group stage we’re playing against the top teams.
“They have accumulated so many stars [above their badges‚ for winning the Champions League]. So we still have to catch up.”
Vilakazi said any hangover from Sundowns’ recapturing their Absa Premiership title from 2016-17 champions Bidvest Wits‚ his previous team‚ in May has long since subsided.
“It’s gone – it’s done. We look ahead now to the new season‚” he said.
Sundowns will be without Gaston Sirino in Lome‚ as the Uruguayan is suspended.
Al Ahly hope to lift some of the gloom hanging over Egyptian soccer by beating Botswana visitors Township Rollers on Tuesday in a must-win CAF Champions League game.
Egypt were booed when they returned from the World Cup, having lost all three group games to Uruguay, hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia in their first appearance since 1990.
Record eight-time African champions Al Ahly supplied seven of the national squad, including two goalkeepers, Mohamed el Shenawy and Sherif Ekramy.
What lies in store in the elite African club competition?
Before a ball was kicked, Al Ahly and twice champions Esperance of Tunisia were hot favourites to qualify at the expense of Rollers and Uganda’s Kampala Capital City Authority.
But the Cairo club find themselves bottom of the table with only one point after two rounds, and dare not slip up at home to Rollers.
Esperance will look to Tunisia World Cup striker Anice Badri for goals in a home fixture they should win against KCCA.
Five-time champions TP Mazembe of the DRC boast the only 100% group record among the 16 hopefuls for a $2.5m (R33m) first prize.
The outfit began by whipping Entente Setif 4-1.
Another Algerian club, Mouloudia Alger, will be in Lubumbashi desperately wanting to avoid a similar fate.
Pointless Setif, who have been African champions twice, host Difaa el Jadida of Morocco in what looks to be their best chance of securing maximum points. –
‘The target is to win the Champions League again. And with the team we have I believe we are capable of going all the way’ Sibusiso Vilakazi
BRAZILIANS ATTACKER