sportskeeda
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi remains hopeful, insisting that his team is making strides and will soon become unbeatable.
The former Golden Arrows manager confidently stated their goal is to reach the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League for the third year in a row.
The Brazilians began their group stage journey in the Champions League on Tuesday at home, but were held to a draw by the Congolese outfit AS Maniema Union.
Only captain Ronwen Williams, Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena, and Lucas Ribeiro were in the starting eleven on Tuesday, in contrast to the lineup that competed in the final against Magesi at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Nevertheless, Mngqithi is optimistic that Al Ahly, Esperance de Tunis, and his own squad will be among the final four in this season’s competition, claiming they will soon be unplayable.
“We will see Sundowns, Al Ahly, and Esperance compete in the Champions League’s final four,” Mngqithi commented after the match.
“I think our current situation has partly resulted from the FIFA break and the final that followed so closely. However, our players are revitalized, and we are gradually achieving the combinations we desire…
“We are nearing the identification of our starting eleven, and we will soon become unbeatable. I’m pleased that nearly our entire squad has gained sufficient match fitness. Everyone feels confident in their ability to contribute to the team’s success.”
The former Chippa United coach acknowledged challenges in defending set pieces and stressed the need for improvement in that aspect, particularly in the Champions League.
In the Carling Knockout final last week, they conceded their second goal from a set piece. “Teams that control only 20% or 30% of possession are often adept at set pieces. This team [Maniema] is particularly dangerous in that area. They didn’t exploit this against us, but they are certainly a significant threat on set pieces,” Mngqithi elaborated.
“In the Champions League, we need to be more vigilant regarding set pieces and other concern areas, as the goals we’ve conceded, including the one in the final, came from set pieces.
“We must analyze this carefully, as it remains a domain where we have considerable room for improvement. Yet, I believe our response was notably better today [Tuesday], and it can still improve.”
Sundowns are set to compete against Sekhukhune United on Saturday in the Betway Premiership at Loftus Stadium. Their next Champions League match is an away game against Moroccan giants AS FAR next month.
