Mamelodi Sundowns face a moment of truth in their quest for the conquest of the Confederation of African Football Champions League tonight.
The experience they have accumulated since their maiden continental title in 2016 will help them overcome Egypt’s super-charged Pyramids FC in the final in Cairo (7pm, SA time).
That’s the view of Keagan Dolly, a member of the Pitso Mosimane squad that won the prestigious competition 3-1 on aggregate against Egyptian giants Zamalek.
“Sundowns’ experience gives them a huge advantage,” said Dolly. “Since our victory in 2016 they’ve never stopped challenging, and came very close three times to reaching finals.”
Dolly counts Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso’s tactical acumen as a key weapon to give Sundowns an upper hand. Cardoso lost to Al Ahly when he was head coach of Esperance of Tunisia in last season’s final.
Cardoso’s opposite number Krunoslav Jurcic has overseen a remarkable turnaround and steered Pyramids to their first final since joining in February last year.
The Croation favours an offensive approach at home or away and that front foot plan is likely to be maintained in tonight’s game. “That should give many opportunities for Sundowns to create their own chances to score goals. It will be an open match,” said Dolly.
Mshishi’s [Themba Zwane] experience will be vital, whether he starts or not.
— Keagan Dolly, former Sundowns player
The first leg in Pretoria last week ended 1-1. If the match ends in a goalless stalemate, Pyramids will be crowned champions as the away goal will be enough to see them through.
Sundowns’ first appearance in the final of the Champions League was with the late Ted Dumitru in 2001, when they lost to Al Ahly, also from Egypt. But after winning the cup in 2016, The Brazilians never looked back — three times they reached the quarterfinals and semifinals, and only once were they knocked out of the group stages.
Cardoso’s exclusion of skipper Themba “Mshishi” Zwane last week was questioned, but Dolly said “Cardoso knows better than anyone” about Zwane’s fitness. Zwane returned in October from a long period of injury he suffered while on national duty.
“We all know what Zwane is capable of. He’s one of a couple of players who won this cup with us in 2016 who are still with the club. Mshishi’s experience will be vital, whether he starts or not,” said Dolly, who went on to play for Montpelier in France a few months after winning the Champions League.
Another aspect which could present more advantages to Sundowns is that Pyramids hardly command support in Egypt, despite the strides they have made in the Egyptian league and on the continent in recent years.
The government of Egypt has urged fans to support Pyramids at the 30 June Stadium tonight, but Jurcic has no such hope, having played in front of empty seats throughout their Champions League campaign.
Sundowns have not lost in Egypt in their last 10 visits. Cardoso is likely to retain the bulk of the team that played in the first leg.
After recognising that their play was not as fluid as he wanted in the first few minutes of last week’s match, Cardoso withdrew Tashreeq Matthews for Jayden Adams. Adams gave Sundowns more stability and will likely partner Teboho Mokoena to provide vital support to strikers Lucas Ribeiro and Iqraam Rayners.
Masandawana are bidding to become the first South African club to win the Champions League twice. The win would also serve as a huge boost ahead of facing Ulsan of Korea, German giants Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense of Brazil in the Fifa Club World Cup in the US later this month.
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