Rulani promises Downs will bag CAF title again

An emotional Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is optimistic his side will bounce back stronger with the experience they gained in the CAF Champions League to win it next season.

On Saturday, Wydad Casablanca knocked Sundowns out in the semifinals of the competition via the away-goal rule. The match in the packed Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, ended 2-2 after the two teams played to a goalless draw in Morocco.

Themba Zwane had given Sundowns the lead five minutes into the second-half, but Ayoub El Amloud equalised for the visitors on the 71st minute.

The home side restored their lead via Peter Shalulile shortly thereafter, only for Mothobi Mvala to head into his own net seven minutes from time.

They were knocked out without losing any of their 12 games in the competitions. Mokwena was visibly emotional during the post-match press conference but said that he felt his side were close to winning their second continental title.

“I trust the process. I trust this group [of Sundowns players] will be stronger and they will be better next season. They will have more experience and we will go again and try to make this dream a reality,” Mokwena said after the match.

“This is a difficult competition and congratulations to Wydad for progressing and I wish them all the best for the final. We ended up winning a lot of hearts, but of course, it is not good enough.

“But we will have to galvanise strength, pic ourselves up and go again next year.”

Sundowns last won the Champions League in 2016 and Mokwena has asked for patience, promising to  lay their hands on this trophy in the near future.

“I think we've done it the pragmatic way a couple of times and it hasn’t worked. We’ve done it the percentage football way and it also hasn’t worked,” he said.

“So let's give this a bit of time before you cast judgment. I said a few months ago that it is not an obsession, it is a dream."