Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says they have ticked all the boxes during their pre-season tour to the Netherlands and has described it as a success.
The Brazilians wrapped up their tour, where they played four matches against European sides, winning three and drawing one.
They drew 2-2 with Gent before beating Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 and then thumped Sparta Rotterdam 4-1 ending their tour with a 2-1 win over NAC Breda.
“We came here with a clear mandate to try to win pre-season,” Mokwena told the club media department.
“And winning pre-season, of course, had a couple of important aspects for us, of course from a conditioning perspective, we tried to make an investment and look at how we improve our football actions.
“So we focused a lot on the consistency of the big football actions and limiting the rest in between the football actions, particularly over the accumulation of minutes.
“When we started the match against Gent, we had 45 minutes to try to work hard and that was a very good performance. We started very well, we scored two very good goals with some of the schemes that we’ve been working on in Rustenburg.”
Mokwena added that some of the teams they faced are similar to what they will expect this season in the DStv Premiership.
“We went on to play against a very difficult game with the Eagles, a very physical, very direct team that made us suffer a lot. We didn’t dominate as much,” he said.
“But we responded the way we anticipated the games to go this season that there are matches that are going to be difficult, and those who are going to demand that we adopt certain elements.
“We ticked the boxes, conditioning-wise we are happy with the football and the quality of the actions.”
Sundowns will start their DStv Premiership with a match against Sekhukhune United on Friday at Peter Mokaba stadium.
Fixtures
Friday: Sekhukhune v Sundowns, Peter Mokaba 7.30pm.
Saturday: Arrows v Swallows, Mpumalanga, 3pm; SuperSport v Bay, Peter Mokaba 3pm; Royal v AmaZulu, Harry Gwala 5.30pm; Stellenbosch v Pirates, Danie Craven 8pm.
Sunday: Galaxy v Spurs, Mbombela 3pm; Chiefs v Chippa, Moses Mabhida 3pm; CPT v Polokwane, Athlone 5.30pm.
Mokwena says Netherlands pre-season tour a success
Brazilians won three and drew one
Image: Supplied
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says they have ticked all the boxes during their pre-season tour to the Netherlands and has described it as a success.
The Brazilians wrapped up their tour, where they played four matches against European sides, winning three and drawing one.
They drew 2-2 with Gent before beating Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 and then thumped Sparta Rotterdam 4-1 ending their tour with a 2-1 win over NAC Breda.
“We came here with a clear mandate to try to win pre-season,” Mokwena told the club media department.
“And winning pre-season, of course, had a couple of important aspects for us, of course from a conditioning perspective, we tried to make an investment and look at how we improve our football actions.
“So we focused a lot on the consistency of the big football actions and limiting the rest in between the football actions, particularly over the accumulation of minutes.
“When we started the match against Gent, we had 45 minutes to try to work hard and that was a very good performance. We started very well, we scored two very good goals with some of the schemes that we’ve been working on in Rustenburg.”
Mokwena added that some of the teams they faced are similar to what they will expect this season in the DStv Premiership.
“We went on to play against a very difficult game with the Eagles, a very physical, very direct team that made us suffer a lot. We didn’t dominate as much,” he said.
“But we responded the way we anticipated the games to go this season that there are matches that are going to be difficult, and those who are going to demand that we adopt certain elements.
“We ticked the boxes, conditioning-wise we are happy with the football and the quality of the actions.”
Sundowns will start their DStv Premiership with a match against Sekhukhune United on Friday at Peter Mokaba stadium.
Fixtures
Friday: Sekhukhune v Sundowns, Peter Mokaba 7.30pm.
Saturday: Arrows v Swallows, Mpumalanga, 3pm; SuperSport v Bay, Peter Mokaba 3pm; Royal v AmaZulu, Harry Gwala 5.30pm; Stellenbosch v Pirates, Danie Craven 8pm.
Sunday: Galaxy v Spurs, Mbombela 3pm; Chiefs v Chippa, Moses Mabhida 3pm; CPT v Polokwane, Athlone 5.30pm.
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