Tau’s new role a concern for Rulani as Downs meet Ahly

With Percy Tau being influential for Al Ahly in their last few matches, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena admits that they will have to be mindful of him when they meet in the crucial CAF Champions League Group B match at Loftus Versfeld tomorrow (3pm).

In Ahly’s match against Coton Sport, Tau was operating through the middle as well as adopting dangerous positions out wide and was influential for the Red Devils as he enjoyed one of his best performances.

And Mokwena believes that the former Sundowns player has been playing well in his new role.

“Percy is playing completely different in the last three games compared to where he played against us in Cairo, he played three different positions in 90 minutes,” Mokwena explained to the media yesterday.

“But very good player, one of our best exports and I don’t speak too much about him because he is not a Mamelodi Sundowns player, so I have to get a lot of respect for what I say about him.

“Maybe because I’m a little bit  biased in my opinion about Percy, so I try not to say too much. So, I will leave it like that.”

Having drawn 2-2 in Cairo last month, Sundowns will have one hand in the knockout stage should they win tomorrow, while the Egyptians will be in danger of facing elimination should they suffer a defeat.

Ahly are four points behind Sundowns, who have won two and drawn one in their three matches, and Mokwena expects a tough game but he is optimistic his side will come out tops.

“Al Ahly may have never won in SA but it is difficult to comment on that. When I look at their team, I see players who have got 393 CAF Champions League appearances in their starting lineup,” he said.

“That’s close to 400 appearances in the Champions League and that’s a level of experience we can’t compete with as my team has 170 appearances.

“For sure, without looking too much into the threat that they possess and the quality they have but like any other team, they have weaknesses.”

Sundowns will look to Peter Shalulile and Cassius Mailula to again unlock the Ahly defence.