Johannesburg - Mamelodi Sundowns will have extra motivation to get the better of Wydad Athletic Club when the two sides meet in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
No doubt inspired by their desire to enter their names in the Sundowns history books by being responsible for adding the second star above the club’s crest, the current crop of Brazilians were this week given further reason to want to go all the way in Africa’s premier club knockout competition.
At the funeral of club legend and former Public Relations Officer Alex Shakoane – Sundowns’ longest serving employee having been there since at the formation of the club in 1970 – a request was made to the players to “win the Champions League for Bra Alex”.
Ronwen Williams and his teammates would no doubt have been impacted by that humble request from Shakoane’s children. And while you can bet they were always wanting to become the second group to bring continental glory to Chloorkop, that plea is sure to have added to that desire.
But to get their hands on that coveted trophy, they first have to get past the defending champions. Morocco’s Wydad have been the dominant force in African club football lately and Sundowns know only too well just how tough an opponent they have standing in their way
to reaching the final for the first time since they were crowned champions back in 2016.
That they go into Saturday’s match having held Wydad goalless despite playing a significant part of the match with 10 men, before it became nine late – following two red cards, would make Sundowns slight favourites.
Add to that the fact that they will be playing in front of their partisan crowd who cheered them on to a resounding victory over Al Ahly in the group stages and you will not be faulted for sticking your neck out for the Brazilians.
Football is fickle at the top though. And fans will remember only too well how a previous semi-final clash between the two ended in tears for Masandawana who had seen the 2-1 defeat in Casablanca as a big advantage for their club.
The away goal was regarded as gold for Sundowns with many assured that all the South African champions had to do was win
1-0 and voila – a spot in the final was theirs. But Wydad came to Pretoria and kept Sundowns at bay to eke out a goalless draw that ensured they made the final.
Sundowns know that the one thing they cannot afford to do is to let Wydad score on Saturday, not after they had failed to find their adversaries’ net last weekend. What should boost Rhulani Mokwena and his team’s confidence is the fact that they have never lost to Wydad in Pretoria.
In five clashes, two ended in stalemates with Sundowns winning the other three. They must win a fourth time to realise their objective of getting to the final.
@Tshiliboy