Mokwena buoyed by first leg goal advantage ahead of Cairo trip
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 31.10.23. | 07:23
Kenyan defender Brian Mandela is expected to contest for playing time in the game.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Rhulani Mokwena, believes the important goal scored by 19-year-old teenage sensation Thapelo Maseko in Sunday’s African Football League will play a huge role in Al Ahly’s game plan for the return leg in Cairo on Wednesday.
Masandawana overcame the Egyptian giants by a slender 1-0 victory in a highly anticipated match that has become a marquee fixture in African club football of the last few seasons.
Speaking from the Loftus stadium after the important victory, the 36-year-old tactician indicated that the goal they carry to Cairo plays a huge role in the reverse leg and gives the Red Devils something to worry about, as Sundowns are capable of getting another.
“We’ve got a goal in Cairo, and they know that too. They know Sundowns can score in Cairo and you could see it in the frustration of the players when they walked off the pitch,” said Mokwena.
"The first thing that they have got to think about is Sundowns must not score an away goal, so let’s see what happens.
"It’s going to be an interesting game, and I think they also know that Sundowns have to get a goal in Cairo."
The north vs south clash between the two sides is fast becoming a fan favorite across the continent.
Sunday’s meeting was the 13th time the two sides met, with Sundown’s victory on Sunday taking them to 5 over their opponents as compared to Ahly’s 4, with the other four fixtures concluding in a stalemate.
Kenyan defender Brian Mandela is expected to contest for playing time in the game.
The winner on aggregate will advance to the final of the tournament.
By CAF Online
