Downs are topped up for Petro clash

MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena says their CAF Champions League quarter-final opponents Petro de Luanda will be tough customers, given that both teams have an identical style of play.

The Brazilians are in the last eight of the continental showpiece after breezing through the group stage where they won five games and drew one to finish with the most points (16) across all the four groups.

But they’ll know that the knockout stage is usually the most challenging phase of the competition, given that lapse of concentration and errors are usually punished over the two-legged contest.

Last season, they learnt that the hard way as they crashed out at this part of the competition against eventual champions Al Ahly despite being the better team over the two matches.

Sundowns will be wary of falling into the same trap against the Angolans who finished second in Group D.

The last time these teams met was in the group stage three seasons ago when Sundowns won 3-0 at home before they drew 2-2 in Luanda.

A lot has changed since then. Sundowns are coached by the three wise men, Mokwena, Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela. The trio will be eager to get their first win in Angola in the first leg of the quarter-final this afternoon.

“They are a strong team, a very good opponent, that plays the game the way we believe football should be played and in a certain way that has a very similar identity to us,” Mokwena said ahead of the clash at Estadio 11 de Novembro.

“They build from the back and look to press from the top. They look to dominate the game and have possession so we know what’s at stake and what lies ahead.”

Despite both teams sitting at the top of their respective leagues, the Brazilians will wear the favourites’ cap. In their last two domestic games they scored 11 unanswered goals.

Their 6-0 league drubbing of Golden Arrows on Tuesday, which resulted in the sacking of coach Lehlohonolo Seema, gives them much confidence, says Mokwena.

“In particular, the game against Golden Arrows was a good demonstration of how much work we’ve put in from the beginning of the season until now. So, from that perspective we come into this game with a lot of confidence,” he said.

Sundowns are on course to win a quadruple. They are two wins away from winning the league title, they are in the Champions League quarter-final and the Nedbank Cup semi-final, while they’ve already won the MTN8.

Mokwena says they can’t afford to put the foot off the pedal.

“The players understand that we are in a part of the season where every match counts now. These are what we call ‘games of consequence’,” Mokwena said.

“I labelled them as games of consequence a little bit earlier and coming into the second round, we understand that everybody is playing for something and all the fixtures have some form of determination: be it domestically or continentally.”

Sundowns will host Petro in the return leg next Saturday at the FNB Stadium.