‘You can’t make mistakes against Congolese teams’
Sundown face Maniema, Pirates play Diables Noirs
The journey to conquer Africa continues for South African football giants this weekend.
But before Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates enter their dens for the CAF Champions League first round, second leg and Confederation Cup preliminary round, second leg ties, their tough Congolese opponents gave them scary 2-2 and 0-0 draws respectively, away last weekend.
Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa and Pirates coach Mandla Ncikazi admitted that they go into the clashes determined to reverse the result for a passage into the next round as they take on the DR Congo’s Maniema and Congo-brazzaville’s Diables Noirs at Loftus (4pm) and Orlando (5.30pm) stadiums respectively this afternoon.
Champions League 2016 champions Downs creative midfielder Themba Zwane’s vast experience in African inter-club football saw him score a brace while AS Maniema Union’s Kitwa Kalowa and Tenda Mutuila found the back of the net in the first leg.
“They are a good team and they don’t give you a chance [to outplay them] but come Sunday [today] we have to give our best as a team to make it to the group stage. We have to minimise our mistakes to stand a better chance of advancing. In the CAF Champions League, you rarely get away with a mistake. We learnt our lesson, Maniema
have good players who are always on your neck, they come straight to you, bring crosses and they play forward when in possession,” said Lebusa, who is back in the Bafana Bafana fold under Belgian coach Hugo Broos.
“We are hosting them and it will be interesting to see if they stick to their game plan. But the most important thing we should do is to win our game.”
Bucs coach Ncikazi sidestepped speaking and clarifying his coaching position at the club when asked during the pre-match briefing whether he was the head coach, a co-coach or the assistant waiting for the appointment of the main man. “I truly think what is important is the badge, we are all working with one goal in mind to make the team better.” Ncikazi described their Confed Cup foes Diable Noirs as a difficult side to play against and they are physical but Pirates must ensure they attack and score in order to qualify for the next round.
“On the matter of midfielder Goodman Mosele going AWOL when called up for national duty by Broos for the matches against Ethiopia early this month, Ncikazi emphasised that there was unfortunately a lack of communication between the Bafana technical team and the club.
• Amazulu advanced to the CAF Champions League group stage after securing a 1-1 away draw against TP Mazembe at the Stade TP Mazembe in Congo yesterday. The first leg match ended in a goalless draw last weekend.