On Monday, Mamelodi Sundowns will face Al Ahly in Cairo in a much-anticipated rematch of the historic clash that took place almost a year ago. On February 26, 2020, Sundowns beat the Egyptian giants 1-0 thanks to a goal from Thapelo Morena in the final 10 minutes of the match, marking the South African side’s first ever victory over Ahly in Cairo.
As the two sides prepare to face each other once again, Soccer Laduma takes a trip down memory lane to look at what was key to Sundowns’ victory over the Egyptian giants last season.
Leading up to the clash against Ahly last season, Sundowns had an impressive record of just one defeat in 20 DStv Premiership matches. The side was unbeaten in the Champions League and had already bagged the MTN8 title early in the campaign. Masandawana are in a similar situation now, with head coach Rulani Mokwena having won every single game he has been in charge of since taking over the reigns before the FIFA World Cup.
Before the clash against Ahly last season, Sundowns were rotating the squad a bit, due to the tight schedule, while injuries also played their part. This allowed for the club to keep the squad fresh. Currently, Mokwena has been rotating his side since taking over, giving opportunities to players to ensure they are able to handle the heavy load.
Leading up to the clash against Egyptian giants, Downs had kept three clean sheets in a row in the Champions League, including their final qualifying round clash against Maniema, in the second leg. In their first two group stage matches against Al Hilal and Al Merrikh.
This will be the 13th time the two sides are drawn against each other, with the clash set to get underway on Saturday at 21:00. With Sundowns in a similar position to last season, the side will be hoping to replicate their historic victory in Cairo.
