Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has rejected suggestions his team is at a disadvantage having to play the first leg of the CAF Champions League final at home and the second leg away.
"Jingles", whose side face Zamalek on Saturday at Lucas Moripe Stadium, insisted yesterday the ball is in Sundowns' court to do the job at home before the return leg in Egypt.
In the final, the order of legs is determined by a draw which is conducted after the group stage.
In this case, the winner of the semifinal clash between Zamalek and Wydad Casablanca was drawn to play the second leg at home in the final.
"I told the the players [that] the home and away is a mental thing. We went to play Zamalek away and we won [in the group stage] and they came here, we won," said Mosimane.
"So home and away has nothing to do with the game. You still have the same fair chance of playing at home and away. We are still going to play the same team, the same registered players.
"The difference on that is how you think about it. If you say, 'we have to defend away [from] home', that's the problem. If you don't know that if you play away it is important that you score, you are in trouble. And if you don't know that when you play at home you can't allow the opponents to score, you are in trouble. It is the same 90 minutes by the way."
In the last three finals, the team that played at home in the second leg of the final has gone on to lift the trophy.
The past three winners are TP Mazembe (2015), ES Setif (2014) and Al Ahly (2013), who beat Orlando Pirates 2-0 in Cairo after the first leg had finished 1-1 in Orlando.
Hosting first leg matters little to Downs coach
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has rejected suggestions his team is at a disadvantage having to play the first leg of the CAF Champions League final at home and the second leg away.
"Jingles", whose side face Zamalek on Saturday at Lucas Moripe Stadium, insisted yesterday the ball is in Sundowns' court to do the job at home before the return leg in Egypt.
In the final, the order of legs is determined by a draw which is conducted after the group stage.
In this case, the winner of the semifinal clash between Zamalek and Wydad Casablanca was drawn to play the second leg at home in the final.
"I told the the players [that] the home and away is a mental thing. We went to play Zamalek away and we won [in the group stage] and they came here, we won," said Mosimane.
"So home and away has nothing to do with the game. You still have the same fair chance of playing at home and away. We are still going to play the same team, the same registered players.
"The difference on that is how you think about it. If you say, 'we have to defend away [from] home', that's the problem. If you don't know that if you play away it is important that you score, you are in trouble. And if you don't know that when you play at home you can't allow the opponents to score, you are in trouble. It is the same 90 minutes by the way."
In the last three finals, the team that played at home in the second leg of the final has gone on to lift the trophy.
The past three winners are TP Mazembe (2015), ES Setif (2014) and Al Ahly (2013), who beat Orlando Pirates 2-0 in Cairo after the first leg had finished 1-1 in Orlando.
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