Downs need to up gear in CAF
Mngqithi hopes for high intensity against Rayon Sports
Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi has likened the challenge of facing Rayon Sports to the one they encountered against EC Bees this week.
The former African champions will take on the feisty Rwandan club in the second leg of the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League at Loftus Versveld on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Mngqithi was in charge as Sundowns were thoroughly tested by third-tier EC Bees in the Nedbank Cup last-16 round. The Brazilians had to dig deep to edge the brave Eastern Cape outfit 2-1.
A similar type of tenacity awaits them against the Rwandan champions who showed in the goalless first-leg that they have giant-killing instincts in their DNA.
“When you are playing against a smaller team naturally no matter how much you motivate [them], you are just hoping the players do not take it [performance] a further notch low,” Mngqithi said.
“When you are playing against the so-called low teams the players think we are just going to cruise. Naturally you drop your performance and that’s where most of our players must improve,” he said.
Hlompho Kekana and Thapelo Morena had to come to the rescue with second half goals after Joseph Chikila had put the Bees ahead.
Against Rayon, Mngqithi will be plotting with head coach Pitso Mosimane who returns after travelling to Morocco for a coaching course organised by CAF. The first leg in Kigali ended in a 0-0 draw.
“To be honest in Rwanda... the intensity [was] good but the focus not at the highest level; we should have gone to half-time maybe six goals up but we could not even score one.
“It’s now a wake-up call. If they score one we must score two.”
‘ ‘ The intensity was good but the focus not at its best level