Sundowns hoping for change of luck in DRC
MAMELODI Sundowns are hoping it will be third time lucky when they take on AS Vita at Stade TataRaphael in Kinshasa in a Caf Champions League match today.
The Democratic Republic of Congo side twice knocked out Sundowns in previous Caf clashes.
In 1994 two years after South Africa's readmission to international football, Sundowns met AS Vita in the second round of the then African Champions League. AS Vita emerged victors on the away goals rule.
They met again in the second round of the 2009 Caf Confederation Cup, AS Vita winning 3-2 on aggregate.
And according to AS Vita midfielder Oscar Machapa, Sundowns are again faced with a tough encounter. Machapa played for Moroka Swallows from 2010 to 2013 before returning home to play for Dynamos. He then joined AS Vita a year ago.
Speaking to Sunday Times from Kinshasa, the 28-year-old said Sundowns are likely to battle through the humid conditions.
“It is hot here. We even train at 6am, because by 8am it is too hot. Maybe the fact that it has been raining the past few days can help Sundowns,” he said.
AS Vita have moved the clash from the 90 000-seater National Stadium to the 50 000 Stade Tata-Raphael.
“One of the reasons they changed the venue is because we always train where we are going to play Sundowns, so we are more used to the pitch than at the National Stadium,” Machapa continued.
AS Vita top the log in their domestic league. Sundowns are top of the Absa Premiership standings with seven matches remaining.
Machapa, however, feels AS Vita hold the advantage considering they always watch Sundowns in action.
“We are aware of players like [Hlompho] Kekana,” he said.
Sundowns appear to have done their homework. As part of their preparations they trained on the artificial pitch at the Nike Football Centre in Soweto. Coach Pitso Mosimane is confident his players will adapt.
“I will rather play on an artificial pitch than on the one in Dolisie where we played AC Leopards. It was beach football there! You lift and you kick,” he said.
“The ball moves faster on an artificial pitch and the bounces are higher. I could see the players struggling a bit with the bounce.”
He is well aware of the threat posed by AS Vita. “Vita have a very good coach — he’s coaching the national team and the club. They have very good fullbacks. Both attack a lot. Their wingers, left and right, are very good in one-on-ones, and very quick, like a [Thabo] Qalinge style. But they are all right-footed and we are aware of that,” he said.
“We need to try to play smart. But smart doesn’t mean parking the bus — we won’t do that. We’ll try to go forward, try to score. It’s going to be exciting."
Mosimane added: ‘Their supporters don’t play — they just make noise. It’s good when you go to somewhere like Seisa Ramabodu because it prepares you for something like that.”
The return leg is set for Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday, April 19.