On Saturday night, Mamelodi Sundowns put in a stellar performance against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League, but could only manage a 2-2 draw. After the match, head coach Rulani Mokwena was asked about Sundowns’ credentials in the tournament, having failed to win it in the last six attempts.
Mokwena defended his side, saying that it would be unfair to judge this team on the results of the past. He highlighted the fact that many of his players are in their first Champions League campaign and that they need time to gain experience and to compete.
CAFCL Full Time
Al Ahly 2 – 2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Peter Shalulile ⚽️
Abdelmonem⚽️
Hussein El Elshahat⚽️
Thapelo Morena ⚽️TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/ms66sGOt9W— Zukiswa Tshaka (@ZukiswaTshaka1) February 25, 2023
“We wanted to win today [Saturday], we didn’t win. It’s an important point against a good team. I said Ronwen Williams’ first [CAF] Champions League, last season [Khuliso] Mudau competed with Thapelo Morena. Mothobi Mvala, it’s his first Champions League, he played a bit last season but not at this level. Neo Maema, Cassius Mailula, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba last season Lyle Lakay was the starting left-back, he featured a bit but it’s his first Champions League,” he said.
“It would be unfair to judge this team on the results of the past. You have to give them a chance to work, to play and to gain experience and to compete and the only way to do that is to be on the pitch and compete, play these type of games and feel this type of pressure and perform in these types of conditions and we have to give them a fair chance. That’s what we did, and step by step and game by game, we look to get better. I would say the same thing had we won or lost, we have to get better and we will always try to get better,” Mokwena continued.
Mamelodi Sundowns put in a strong performance against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League on Saturday night, but could only manage a 2-2 draw. After the match, head coach Rulani Mokwena defended his side, saying that it would be unfair to judge them on the results of the past. He highlighted the fact that many of his players are in their first Champions League campaign and that they need time to gain experience and to compete.
“We wanted to win today [Saturday], we didn’t win. It’s an important point against a good team,” Mokwena said. “You have to give them a chance to work, to play and to gain experience and to compete and the only way to do that is to be on the pitch and compete, play these type of games and feel this type of pressure and perform in these types of conditions and we have to give them a fair chance. That’s what we did, and step by step and game by game, we look to get better.”
