He felt the coach’s love - Mokwena on Mvala.

   Image: iDiskiTV

Despite being unbeaten in the CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns were eliminated from the competition on Saturday afternoon by defending champions, Wydad AC.

The defeat, a bitter pill to swallow, should feel like the end of the world to Mothobi Mvala, who scored the own goal that sent Sundowns packing.

A warrior, Mvala is, always in the line of fire where only the brave dare to fight from, unfortunately, on Saturday he fell while fighting a good fight, and the war was lost.

At this moment, all that Mvala needs is love, even from the bleeding hearts of Sundowns supporters.

And that is exactly what Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena has showered the defender with, love and affection in his time of tribulation.

"But what did I say to Mothobi, if anything… I, in moments like this, there’s two things, one; they say those that don’t make mistakes, are those that are probably not doing anything at all," said Mokwena as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/rulani-on-tau-in-final-and-message-to-mvala/

"And two; I don’t think he’s prepared to listen to the coach at the moment. But he felt the coach’s love, I can definitely assure you of that.

"I gripped the hand firmly, I pulled the body a lot closer, and I gave him the reassurance that he’s not alone and that for me is probably far more important than any of the words I could have uttered."

Downs supporters, even in defeat, have shown a beautiful tendency to stand with their team, and Mothobi needs them more than ever at this moment.

Not criticism, not questions on whether he should have started the game ahead of the likes of Grant Kekana or not, just support from the yellow nation. 

Experience takes Wydad to the CAFCL final.

Mamelodi Sundowns have the quality, but Wydad AC have all the experience, and it was experience that won the day for them as the defending champions marched on to another showdown against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League.

And the sad thing is, one can't buy experience with any amount of cash, but more often than not, one pays for it through painful experiences, as Sundowns did on Saturday afternoon.

A team that has made Africa sit up and take notice with their cutting edge brand of football, couldn't take their game a gear up against a determined Wydad, whom as they showed when they twice came from behind to force a 2-2 draw, still had more gears to change to according to the game's demands.

Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena, accepted that lack of experience let his side down.

“The difference is the experience, you can’t buy it. We’ve got to learn from it, we’ve got to feel what it feels like to lose,” Mokwena told SuperSport TV as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mokwena-makes-bold-claim-after-cafcl-exit/

“We’ll win the Champions League, for sure. We will win it.

“It will take another season maybe and another season. And maybe… But we will do it, we will get there."

It is the painful lessons that came with Saturday afternoon's defeat which Mokwena believes will make Sundowns a better side.

“We just have to take these painful experiences as lessons.”

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“There is a lot [of lessons we’ll take from this game],” he added.

“At the moment, I’m too emotional to even think about the lessons but we go again.

“I’m wishing Wydad all the best for the final. We call it ‘football heritage’ but we will learn from it, we will be better, we will get there.”

The coach will surprise us again - Vandenbroeck on Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns will host Wydad AC this afternoon at Loftus Versfeld in a CAF Champions League second leg semi-final encounter.

The two sides played to a goalless draw in Morocco last weekend, which left the fixture wide open.

Wydad coach, Sven Vandenbroeck, is wary of the Sundowns tactical approach, which he says has too many variations and hard to predict.

Vandenbroeck says Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola's influence is evident in the Sundowns team, with coach Rulani Mokwena being an admirer of the Spanish tactician.

Sundowns play a fluid brand of football that leaves opposition chasing shadows for most parts of the game.

"Coach Rulani, he’s [been] following Pep Guardiola for a long period, so he has a lot of variations [of tactics], in Morocco, he tried one and I think he has another three or four [variations]. So yes it’s a lot of work [to try and compete against him], that’s why two weeks work or three days preparation is sometimes not enough," said Vandenbroeck as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/wydad-coach-on-rulanis-guardiola-references/

"You can give a lot of information to players, but you cannot cover everything, so even tomorrow (Saturday) in the game, we will be very concentrated on what we’re doing, observing what they are doing, and trying to find solutions."

Vandenbroeck expects Mokwena to come up with more tactical surprises this afternoon.

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"The problem in Morocco was there were 60 to 70 thousand [fans] and the players can’t hear you all the time so we had to wait until half-time to rectify things but then the red card came, so we didn’t have to [change] with one man more… But I’m pretty sure tomorrow (Saturday) the coach will surprise us again."

Kick-off the will be at 15:00, with the winner set to face Al Ahly SC in the final on the 4th and the 11th of June. 

Wydad is not going to be easy - Modise.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfield general, Teko Modise, who is currently the team's ambassador, has sent a warning about the threat of Wydad AC.

Sundowns face Wydad on Saturday afternoon at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in a highly anticipated CAF Champions League semi-final.

With the game at a delicate 0-0 after the first leg, Modise has warned Sundowns not to allow Wydad to score first, while encouraging them to remember how good they are as a team.

"It is a tough one, Wydad is one of those teams that if they score first you can play until next week because it is difficult to score against them," said Modise, as quoted by Times Live. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2023-05-19-teko-modise-urges-sundowns-players-to-remember-how-good-they-are-against-wydad/

"But Sundowns need to remember how good they are. They showed against Al Ahly here during the group stages, where the game was difficult, but they came through."

One thing that has impressed Modise about Downs' current team, is their ability to rise to the occasion, something they will have to do against Wydad.

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"One thing I like about Sundowns is whenever they are asked to show what they are about, they perform. This is one of those hurdles we need to jump. 

"Wydad is not going to be easy, but we need to use our home ground advantage with the fans."

Kick-off will be at 15:00.

The winner will face Al Ahly SC on June 04, and 11 in the final after they beat Esperance 4-0 on aggregate.

We need to write our own history - Kekana.

Mamelodi Sundowns will host Wydad AC tomorrow (Saturday 20 May) at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in a CAF Champions League semi-final encounter, with the kick-off at 15:00.

Sundowns managed to hold the defending champions to a goalless draw away in Morocco, and will be hoping to finish the Job at home.

Downs defender, Grant Kekana, said they are well aware that it is only halftime as far as the game is concerned, and they have an important assignment on Saturday.

Halftime it is, with the scoreline delicately balanced at 0-0, Wydad can still turn the game on its head.

One thing for sure, Sundowns cannot afford to get ahead of themselves, as Kekana alluded.

"We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves we know that with the results from the first leg of the semifinal, it’s only halftime for us. We’ve got a big game and an important assignment on Saturday.  We are happy that we got through with the league and we can now focus on CAF with no distractions," Kekana told sundownsfc.co.za.

Having won the competition under Pitso Mosimane in 2016, the current crop of players have an opportunity to write their own history, and that is exactly what coach Rulani Mokwena told his charges according to Kekana.

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"One thing that the coach told us at the beginning of the season was that this group of players needs to write its own history, and I think that we have given ourselves a chance to do that. Getting the second star is something that is big in our minds and hearts, this is the big fish. Nobody is going to distract us, we know the mission and what we need to do to accomplish it."

I thought we were excellent - Mokwena.

Mamelodi Sundowns kept their hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League final alive when they held Wydad AC to a 0-0 draw on Saturday night at the Stade Mohammed V.

The result left the 2nd leg, to be played in Pretoria next week, in a delicate situation.

A draw with goals will see Sundowns knocked out of the CAFCL.

Nonetheless, Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena, thought his side were excellent in Morocco.

Despite managing only a six goal attempts, with a single shot on target, Sundowns put on a controlled tactical performance that saw them limiting Wydad to just 11 goal attempts, with two on target, playing with 10 men in the second half.

"I thought before the red card we were very good, we scored, there were moments where we had 65% ball possessions – here [at Stade Mohamed V]," said Mokwena after the match as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mokwena-rebuffs-criticism-after-cafcl-first-leg/

"I thought we were excellent actually, contrary to your statement. That’s why I give so much, so much praise to the players. They know it’s only half-time, so we keep our feet firmly on the ground."

Going into next weekend's second leg, Mokwena is counting on the Sundowns supporters, and home ground advantage to push the team to the final.

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"We’re still focussed on second leg in Pretoria. We know that we will also have the ammunition also behind us, we will have a stadium that now knows how to play Champions League matches and push this team."

A mature performance from Sundowns in Morocco.

Mamelodi Sundowns left the Stade Mohammed V Stadium bruised, but not beaten as they held defending champions, Wydad AC to a 0-0 draw in a CAF Champions League semi-final first leg on Saturday evening. 

The result was impressive, tricky as it is, because a 0-0 draw leaves the second leg wide open, but it is in the performance that achieved the result where Sundowns were excellent. 

One has to look at how the Brazilians played in the first half when it was still 11 vs 11.

Despite a hostile atmosphere created by the crowd, and the weight of the occasion, Sundowns were still able to block out all the noise, deal with the pressure, and play their normal, daring, arrogant possession football that has earned them respect across Africa. 

You don't go to Morocco, to play the defending CAFCL champions, in front of such a crowd, and control more than 60% of the ball, with a passing accuracy of 80% in the opposition half, but Sundowns did that without any fear or panic, and that is what I call maturity. 

It was in the second half where I thought the Brazilians would be totally against wall. 

Having lost Neo Maema through a red card in the 43rd minute, it was going to take a performance and a half for Sundowns to stop Wydad from taking full advantage of their numerical advantage and win the game. 

But the only thing that Wydad achieved with their extra man, was more possession and one or two good chances. 

But in all honesty, Sundowns were still in control, they still played with confidence, despite having to change their approach a little, they still played with structure, but most importantly, they did not panic. 

Another coach, on another day, would have sacrificed a Thapelo Morena for a midfielder, but not Rulani Mokwena. 

Instead, he simply adjusted the formation and they carried on. 

I do not remember watching a South African side giving such a controlled, measured performance in a hostile environment, except maybe the Orlando Pirates of 1995 who went on to conquer Africa, but Sundowns did it with so much ease, credit, they deserve. 

From good, Sundowns can go on to be great. 

I’m very sober, I’m very sober - Mokwena on Downs CAFCL favorites tag.

Ahead of their CAF Champions League semi-final showdown against Wydad AC tonight in Morocco, Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Rulani Mokwena says he is not intoxicated by the CAFCL favorites sweet brew being fed his side.

Mokwena was quick to divert the attention to the North African sides, saying they have achieved way more than Sundowns, having won the trophy 35 times.

"I’m very sober, I’m very sober in understanding what we have done [this season], it’s not allowed us to win anything,” Mokwena said in the pre-match press conference as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mokwena-north-african-clubs-have-won-this-35-times/

"If you look at the history of the Champions League you will know that 35 times this trophy has been won by a North African side, you look at the teams that are remaining in the last four and you see for yourself how many Al Ahly have won, how many times Esperance and Wydad have won the Champions League, more than Mamelodi Sundowns."

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Mokwena emphasized his point by highlighting Wydad's success in the competition.

The champions are appearing in their fifth semi-final in a row.

"If you look directly at our opponent you understand this is their fifth consecutive semi-final appearance, whereas this is the first time in a very long time that we appear in the semi-finals, so it’s very clear, that when you look at everything, we don’t have the pressure, we just have to continue to enjoy what we’re doing."

Tonight's semi-final kicks-off at 21:00.

They know we’re a very good team - Mokwena on Wydad AC.

While he acknowledges Wydad AC pedigree in the CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena, believes their opponents are also aware how good a team Sundowns are.

"Yes [form] always counts for something in football, they know their level, they know our level, they know we’re a very good team and we can play our football with good profile, good mentality, confidence, at any pitch," Mokwena said as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/rulani-on-challenges-travelling-to-morocco-and-wydad-threat/

"But it’s going to be a good game against a team that of course is the defending champions, [has] good pedigree in the Champions League, many years of competing but it’s going to be an interesting game between two good teams, good players and we have to fight and nothing is given on a silver platter and enjoy the opportunity because it’s moments that come once in a lifetime."

The truth is, Wydad AC have no illusions about how good Sundowns are.

No bad team can make a mockery of the most decorated team in Africa, Al Ahly SC, that is, and make it through the group stages unscathed, go on to make an easy meal of CR Belouizdad, winning 4-1 in Algeria.

Because Sundowns are good, they managed to do that.

But Sundowns' exploits in the group and quarter-final stages, mean the reigning African champions, Wydad, have smelled the danger and will be on high alert come Saturday evening at the intimidating Stade Mohammed V.

A Wydad on red alert can be ruthless, meaning Sundowns will have to go beyond good on Saturday if they are to escape with a positive result, they will have to be great.

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And great they can be if they can apply themselves well mentally to withstand the pressure both on the field and from the fans, that is because in football playing terms, tactically/technically Sundowns, despite one or two flaws, are just superb.

It is in psychological application where they will have to be great, because they definitely have a bruising battle on their hands.

Wydad, a team standing between Sundowns and the African throne.

Mamelodi Sundowns will take on Wydad AC on Saturday 13 May at the Stade Mohammed V in highly anticipated CAF Champions League semi-final 1st leg.

The two sides have met five times before in the competition, with the reigning African champions, Wydad, winning twice, two draws, and a single Sundowns win.

Both Wydad wins were achieved in their home turf, and Sundowns will be hoping to turn things around on Saturday, and beat their Moroccan counterparts at home to increase their chances of reaching the final.

But there is more to this titanic battle than just Sundowns hoping to reach the final.

The Brazilians have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are a competitive side on the continent, a real force to be reckoned with.

But since winning the title under Pitso Mosimane in 2016, Sundowns have not done in enough to convince Africa that they are ready to sit on the throne once again. The Wydad clash is a test they have to pass to make Africa believe again.

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And beating Wydad is possible, as Simba demonstrated in the quarter-finals, where the African Champions needed penalties to advance to the semi-finals after losing 1-0 away and winning with the same scoreline at home.

In the second leg, Simba had to be strong defensively to stomach intense offensive play from Wydad.

Despite eventually conceding a goal, they managed to limit Wydad to just three shots on targets, from 12 goal attempts that came from a staggering 66% ball possession.

Going into Saturday's encounter, Sundowns will have to walk along Simba's lines, and be resolute in defence.

But they need to take it a step further, by threatening the Wydad defence, something that Simba failed to do, having not registered a shot on target from six attempts.

Fortunately for Sundowns, attack is their biggest strength, and they are highly capable of going to Morocco and score a goal or two, maybe even three!

But one thing for sure, this is one game that Sundowns must win to prove their readiness to sit on the throne of African club football.