Mamelodi Sundowns manager, Rhulani Mokwena is being cautious despite the 4-1 lead his team have heading into their CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg against Belouizdad.
The Brazilians were a class apart in Algiers as Peter Shalulile (brace), Neo Maema and Cassius Mailula all found the back of the net to give the South African giants a healthy away goal lead that might be difficult for Belouizdad to overturn.
Despite Sundowns’ lead, Mokwena asserted Belouizdad have players that can hurt his team and for that reason must approach the return leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the right manner.
“We have to know that they can beat us, and we have to be at our best. We have to know the quality that they have,” Mokwena said on the CAF website.
“Guendouz is a number one international for Algeria. Belkhther the right back is number one right back for Algeria. Laouafi is number one left back for Algeria.
“Their number five didn’t start but also there’s Draoui so you have about five to six internationals which shows you how complex this game can become if we don’t have the right approach from a psychological perspective.”
Matchday Minus 1. Tomorrow, #Rabatsena! ????#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/fdNlhGqdVw
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) April 28, 2023
Sundowns look poised to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since the 2018-19 season when they lost 2-1 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Wydad Casablanca. They were winners of the competition of the 2016 edition, beating Egyptian heavyweights Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate.
Watch Mamelodi Sundowns vs Belouizdad LIIVE on AFROSPORT TV across Nigeria, channel 730 on Free TV and stream online via Vidivu TV.
