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Sundowns coach Mosimane sweating over the fitness of several key players

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is sweating over the fitness of several key players ahead of his side's clash against Morroco giants Wydad Casablanca in the group stages of the Caf Champions League.

Mosimane said goalkeeper Denis Onyango and defenders Tebogo Langerman and Mosa Lebusa  did not finish their training routines at Chloorkop on Wednesday but they are expected to be fully fit to face Wydad on Saturday.

Sundowns face the Moroccans at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville needing to avoid defeat to  ensure that they finish the group stages still perched at the summit, and unbeaten after six matches.

“Langer (Langerman), Mosa and Denis did not finish training today (Wednesday) and that is a scare for us,” said Mosimane, who gave his players time off earlier this week.

“Mosa and Tebogo are important because they are my left sided defenders. You must also remember that Mosa and Onyango did not finish the match in Luanda where we drew with Petro de Luanda, but you are going to face these challenges in football.

"What are you going to do?

"Injuries are part of life and sometimes you find that you don’t have the real team that you want to field on the day.”

A draw will be enough for Sundowns to finish top of the group but Mosimane said they are going all out for a win at home where they have not lost in this competition in 17 successive matches.

“We are going for it," he said.

"We want to finish first in the group and we are going to put pressure on Wydad. A point takes us to the top of the group but we are playing at home and our people are coming.

"We don’t play for a draw but for a win.

"We will attack and we know that Wydad are not going to sit back because if they sit back they are going to finish second.

"They want to win the match and whether I or their coach likes it or not, it is going to be an open game and it’s going to be exciting.”

While Sundowns and Wydad will be fighting for top and second spots, their group rivals USM Alger and Petro de Luanda will be playing for pride in Algeria as they cannot progress to the quarterfinals.