Mamelodi Sundowns must be careful not to underestimate Egyptian club Zamalek when they meet them in next month’s African Champions League final after beating them twice in the group phase of this year’s competition, warned coach Pitso Mosimane.
Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Zesco United of Zambia in the second leg of the semifinal ensured progress to the final and a chance to become continental champions.
But to do so they will need to again get the better of the wily Egyptians and not take them lightly.
“It would be the biggest mistake we could ever do because Zamalek is more complex than Zesco. Zesco played long balls, that’s all. If you deal with the long balls, then no problem. There is no combination play in the midfield but when you play Zamalek you are up against Hefny, Hosni, Shikabalala. They are unbelievably good. So it will be totally different. We need to just now forget the tactics we have used against Zesco and took to bring back how we played against Zamalek.
“But let’s be honest, Zamalek will not be happy to play us either,” said Mosimane. “We have a different specimen of a team that the Arab find uncomfortable to play against. We struggled more against the teams in the region because we play a littlre bit the same. Remember Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe in the first round? (Sundowns needed a last minute goal to go through the next round). But the north Africans struggle a little with the way we play.”
Sundowns beat Zamalek 2-1 in Cairo behind closed doors and a fortnight later 1-0 in Atteridgeville, benefiting from a late own goal, in the group phase of the competition.
They now meet the Egyptian again in the final, hosting the first leg at Atteridgeville on October 15 with the return match in Cairo one week later.
Mosimane said hosting the first leg of the final at home was no disadvantage.
“The last time we played our first leg at home we beat Leopards (of Congo) 2-0 and then we went there and got a 1-1 draw. It doesn’t matter therefore, when we play away and when we play home.”
Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Zesco United of Zambia in the second leg of the final came with goals from Anthony Laffor and Percy Tau.
It was a rare start for Laffor, who also scored the decisive goal in the MTN8 semifinal against Chippa United just thee days earlier. “He is a player for the big occasion,” added Mosimane. “When we play some of the smaller team it is like he is not even there but give him a big stage and he is ready.”
'He is a player for the big occasion' - Mosimane
Mamelodi Sundowns must be careful not to underestimate Egyptian club Zamalek when they meet them in next month’s African Champions League final after beating them twice in the group phase of this year’s competition, warned coach Pitso Mosimane.
Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Zesco United of Zambia in the second leg of the semifinal ensured progress to the final and a chance to become continental champions.
But to do so they will need to again get the better of the wily Egyptians and not take them lightly.
“It would be the biggest mistake we could ever do because Zamalek is more complex than Zesco. Zesco played long balls, that’s all. If you deal with the long balls, then no problem. There is no combination play in the midfield but when you play Zamalek you are up against Hefny, Hosni, Shikabalala. They are unbelievably good. So it will be totally different. We need to just now forget the tactics we have used against Zesco and took to bring back how we played against Zamalek.
“But let’s be honest, Zamalek will not be happy to play us either,” said Mosimane. “We have a different specimen of a team that the Arab find uncomfortable to play against. We struggled more against the teams in the region because we play a littlre bit the same. Remember Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe in the first round? (Sundowns needed a last minute goal to go through the next round). But the north Africans struggle a little with the way we play.”
Sundowns beat Zamalek 2-1 in Cairo behind closed doors and a fortnight later 1-0 in Atteridgeville, benefiting from a late own goal, in the group phase of the competition.
They now meet the Egyptian again in the final, hosting the first leg at Atteridgeville on October 15 with the return match in Cairo one week later.
Mosimane said hosting the first leg of the final at home was no disadvantage.
“The last time we played our first leg at home we beat Leopards (of Congo) 2-0 and then we went there and got a 1-1 draw. It doesn’t matter therefore, when we play away and when we play home.”
Saturday night’s 2-0 win over Zesco United of Zambia in the second leg of the final came with goals from Anthony Laffor and Percy Tau.
It was a rare start for Laffor, who also scored the decisive goal in the MTN8 semifinal against Chippa United just thee days earlier. “He is a player for the big occasion,” added Mosimane. “When we play some of the smaller team it is like he is not even there but give him a big stage and he is ready.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos