Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has urged his side not to get carried away by their electrifying form ahead of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal on Saturday.
The free-scoring Sundowns travel to Angola to face Petro de Luanda in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal at Estádio 11 de Novembro at 6pm.
The Brazilians have scored 22 goals in their last five matches after hammering Golden Arrows 6-0, Summerfield Dynamos 5-0, Swallows 4-2, Al-Merrikh 3-0 and Al-Hilal 4-2.
While Mngqithi appreciates the team scoring goals, he insists they cannot get carried away as that could be their downfall.
“Our targets when it comes to goals are not very hefty, we are only looking to score two. So if we score two in a match we are happy,” Mngqithi told the media after their game against Arrows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.
“If we can keep four clean sheets in five matches, we are happy with that. So when we score 22, we don’t want to get carried away because that has the potential of getting you into that.
“So we appreciate that the team is scoring, but our focus is always to try and maximise the number of clean sheets and maximise the possibility of scoring more than one goal. If we score more than one goal, we stand a chance of winning that match.”
What also impresses Mngqithi is that all his strikers Peter Shalulile, Kermit Erasmus and Pavol Safranko have found the back of the net, while other players have also contributed in the process.
“The overall [feeling] is we are happy that all our strikers are scoring goals and the confidence is high amongst that group and that’s very exciting,” he said.
“The players will be going with their confidence high hoping to also do well, which is positive. But you must also guard against the element of complacency, arrogance or overconfidence because Angola is a very strange environment.
“Their temperature is very different. It can be very hot there. So it is very important that we look at this thing closely, but I have confidence with all the coaches I work with and everyone at the club.”
Sundowns will be aiming to get a positive result away to have an advantage in their return leg on April 23 at FNB Stadium.
Mngqithi warns free-scoring Sundowns against overconfidence
In-form giants to face Petro de Luanda in Angola
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has urged his side not to get carried away by their electrifying form ahead of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal on Saturday.
The free-scoring Sundowns travel to Angola to face Petro de Luanda in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal at Estádio 11 de Novembro at 6pm.
The Brazilians have scored 22 goals in their last five matches after hammering Golden Arrows 6-0, Summerfield Dynamos 5-0, Swallows 4-2, Al-Merrikh 3-0 and Al-Hilal 4-2.
While Mngqithi appreciates the team scoring goals, he insists they cannot get carried away as that could be their downfall.
“Our targets when it comes to goals are not very hefty, we are only looking to score two. So if we score two in a match we are happy,” Mngqithi told the media after their game against Arrows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.
“If we can keep four clean sheets in five matches, we are happy with that. So when we score 22, we don’t want to get carried away because that has the potential of getting you into that.
“So we appreciate that the team is scoring, but our focus is always to try and maximise the number of clean sheets and maximise the possibility of scoring more than one goal. If we score more than one goal, we stand a chance of winning that match.”
What also impresses Mngqithi is that all his strikers Peter Shalulile, Kermit Erasmus and Pavol Safranko have found the back of the net, while other players have also contributed in the process.
“The overall [feeling] is we are happy that all our strikers are scoring goals and the confidence is high amongst that group and that’s very exciting,” he said.
“The players will be going with their confidence high hoping to also do well, which is positive. But you must also guard against the element of complacency, arrogance or overconfidence because Angola is a very strange environment.
“Their temperature is very different. It can be very hot there. So it is very important that we look at this thing closely, but I have confidence with all the coaches I work with and everyone at the club.”
Sundowns will be aiming to get a positive result away to have an advantage in their return leg on April 23 at FNB Stadium.
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