Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has fired a shot of disdain at the short-term thinking of PSL clubs who do not take continental competitions seriously.

Downs beat Zamalek 1-0 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday night to confirm themselves winners of the 2016 Caf Champions League’s Group B and reach the semifinals.

This follows Orlando Pirates having reached the finals of the 2013 Champions League and 2015 Caf Confederation Cup in an unprecedented period of success for South African clubs in continental football.

Pirates’ exploits have ensured South Africa enough points to move up to sixth on the Caf rankings that determine how many teams a country can enter in continental club competitions.

Sundowns have contributed three more points reaching these semis.

Mosimane‚ though‚ said it is unfair for some SA clubs to have to carry the baton while others – notably Bidvest Wits in the past two seasons‚ and Ajax Cape Town last season – effectively throw matches to avoid the cost and demand of playing in Africa.

“All I know is that Orlando Pirates have done South Africa a favour by reaching continental semifinals and going further‚” Mosimane said.

“And I’m happy that we are also now contributing and giving back‚ and making sure that we have two places for the Champions League and two for the Confederation Cup.

“But it’s not nice. We work so hard that South African teams have places in these competitions and then some people don’t take it seriously. They say‚ ‘We don’t care about this’.

“Sometimes you have clubs who really want to take these competitions seriously‚ like Platinum Stars. They really want it. They are so happy to be part of it.

“And it’s not only good for us [the clubs]‚ it’s good for Bafana and the country.

“It’s beautiful. We need to play in this space. We’ve been away from this space for too long. So it’s good when the real people look at it properly and take it seriously.

“Because sometimes teams take 11 players with two substitutes.”

Mosimane hit out at clubs’ complaints of the expense of playing in continental competition.

“I think they look more at the financial side‚ to say‚ ‘Why should we spend money to go there’. But the SA teams who play in the Champions League are well sponsored. They really are‚” the former Bafana Bafana coach said.

“There is no need. Our teams are well sponsored. We’ve got millions in sponsorship to be able to go there.

“I mean‚ Zesco United – Zesco‚ we loaned them players at Sundowns. And they don’t even pay loan fees. But they keep going in Africa. How do they go?

“I mean how much is a player at Zesco earning? Even Asec? But they keep going.

“So it’s the mentality‚ it’s the culture. I don’t know – maybe we should blame apartheid for having been out of the continent for so long. But the days of apartheid are gone – let’s be honest.”

Zambia’s Zesco United are in second place in Group A of this year’s Champions League‚ and Ivory Coast club Asec Abidjan in third.

Sundowns have won all three matches in Group B‚ having also beating Nigerians Enyimba 2-1 at home and Zamalek by the same scoreline in Cairo.

They won a fourth against ES Setif (2-0)‚ who were subsequently expelled for fan violence in the match in Algeria‚ reducing the group to three teams.

Downs‚ on an unassailable nine points‚ will win Group B‚ ensuring a crucial home second leg match in the semifinal.