Downs will have to up their game to conquer Africa
ANY thoughts that Mamelodi Sundowns’ 1-0 victory over Al-Hilal at the weekend was a sign that the Brazilians are not the unstoppable train their domestic form suggests must have been quelled by results from other Champions League opening day matches.
Rhulani Mokwena’s men overcame the Sudanese champions at Loftus Versfeld via a scoreline that seemed to confirm the notion that their local dominance has a lot to do with the competition being of poor quality.
But the reality is that the standard on the continent is much higher, as evidenced by results elsewhere.
Except for Raja Casablanca’s 5-0 hammering of Uganda’s Vipers, all the other matches were closely contested affairs with no team scoring more than one goal.
Though unimpressive, Sundowns’ victory was just what they needed as they look to challenge for a second continental success following their victory back in 2016.
“We’ve got the three points and that’s what matters,” was Mokwena’s overall assessment of matters, as he dished out his typical generous congratulations post-match comments - the Sundowns coach lauding just about everyone at Chloorkop, bar the security guard at the gate.
Mokwena praised his team for a splendid showing and spoke of their targeting at least 10 points from their six Group B matches to ensure progression to the quarter-finals.
Victory in all their home matches will edge them close to that target, although on the strength of Saturday’s showing you wonder if they will be able to beat Egypt’s Al Ahly.
Granted Sundowns were the better team on the day and they should have won more comfortably after goal-scorer Cassius Mailula had a second strike ruled out for an offside that never was.
Yet, while they dominated play, they were not slick enough to suggest they can go all the way to continental glory and they were at times caught on the break. Against much stronger opposition, those moments of weakness would have been punished.
Mokwena is a shrewd coach though, and he will no doubt work on improving his team ahead of Friday’s clash in Cameroon against Coton Sport.
Victory at Coton Sport will see them make a significant step towards progression into the knockout stage but it will take a much more polished performance than Saturday’s effort.
The game of football, however, is all about putting the ball in the opposition’s net more than they do into yours, and Sundowns showed they are aware of this fact against Al Hilal.
With Mailula in the form of his life and Neo Maema having been brilliant as a supplier for the striker, all the Brazilians need is for the rest of the team to bring the A-game that has seen them set all kinds of records locally, to the Champions League stage.
They need to do that against Coton Sport if they are to have Al Ahly worried about their visit and the rest of the title contenders taking them much more seriously.