Sundowns to use friendly leaders to bounce off the loss of the Champions League



[ad_1]

JOHANNESBURG – The Mamelodi Sundowns plan to use their friendly against the Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday as a recovery before returning to the serious business of the CAF Champions League next week.

The Brazilians face Amakhosi in the Shell Helix Ultra Cup at the FNB Stadium with a kickoff at 3pm. The Tshwane club will arrive in this match following its 1-0 defeat at AS Togo-Port on Tuesday in Lomé. They languish at the bottom of Group C at mid-point. Sundowns have collected just two points from three matches. But the situation is redeemable. The giants of Tshwane are only three points from Wydad Casablanca and Horoya who occupy first and second place respectively with five points each.

"This group is open and that is what gives us hope," said Anele Ngcongca. "A victory for us (next Friday in the return leg against AS Togo-Port home) will bring us to five points, we do not know what will happen between Wydad and Horoya (who are facing Morocco). next Saturday) We just have to win our game, that's all, no good football, we just need to win the match. "

Sundowns looked like the shadow of their old on the continent. They are not as deadly as they were two years ago when they won the 2016 Champions League after scoring two goals or more in all their home games with a record 100% of wins in front of their own fans. Last season, they were stronger on the road than at home. This season they have been disappointing on both fronts.

They will briefly set aside their concerns of the Champions League to focus on their confrontation with Amakhosi which will offer them a competitive advantage in anticipation of AS Togo-Port's visit. Pitso Mosimane should line up players who are not in Togo and mix them up with new recruits, while the Chiefs will be looking for their strongest team to impress new coach Giovanni Solinas who is still settling his work permit [19659006] Everything is over as Brazilians fall on the road in Togo. #Sownowns #DownsASTogo #DownsLive #CAFCL pic.twitter.com/ie0ou05Ce

– Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana)
July 17, 2018

"It's a very important match for us," said Ngcongca. "We need to show our character and rebound from our defeat at Togo-Port by beating Kaizer Chiefs.That will test our character.This is a good opportunity for new players to show our supporters what they I think it's going to be a good match for both teams, but you know at the Sundowns, we always play to win, we'll make sure to win it for the fans, it's the first cup that these two teams are going to play pre-season, we want to get their hands on this trophy. "

This match will not only help these two giants sharpen their teams for the coming season, but will also give them a glimpse of what might be arrive when they open the Absa Premiership. one against the other at Loftus Versfeld on August 4

"This match will not be a faithful reflection of what will happen in the league," said Ngcongca. "The league game will be totally different, players will be cautious to come in this game on Saturday because they will not want to hurt themselves because it will be a long season for both teams, people do not have to read much in the results of this game. They will visit us at Loftus in our first league game, and our home games will be crucial this season, and we need to make Loftus our slaughterhouse. "

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

[ad_2]
Source link