Under siege Mamelodi Sundowns are hoping to get their Caf Champions League quarterfinals off to a good start and they have been quietly going on about their business in Algeria for their first leg match against CR Belouizdad on Saturday.
This after the Sundowns squad left Johannesburg on Monday and arrived in the capital in Algiers on Tuesday after a grueling 15-hour trip via Cairo.
Masandawana left SA on a sour note after they were uncharacteristically knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by minnows Stellenbosch FC 2-1 in Cape Town at the weekend.
Since they accumulated enough points to win the DStv Premiership, The Brazilians have removed the foot off the pedal and have failed to register a single victory in four matches.
They played three PSL draws against Cape Town City, Swallows FC and Golden Arrows before Stellies gave them a sucker punch in the Ke Yona Cup.
So, against Belouizdad, Sundowns desperately need to regain their mojo and get back to winning ways if they still harbour the dreams of going to the next of the Caf Champions League.
Last year, Masandawana were disappointingly eliminated in the same stage by Angola’s Petro de Luanda and they cannot afford to have a sequel to that trauma.
Coach Rulani Mokwena told Sundowns media: “It has been a difficult time because we have not had enough time to recoup. After our last game (Stellenbosch FC), we immediately travelled back to Johannesburg and then following day, we packed and travelled to Egypt and then linked up to Algiers – almost 15 hours of travelling.
“But this is the space you find yourself in, when you play in the Champions League.
“Fortunately, we have very experienced staff and players who know how to handle the demands of a trip like this. It’s now about settling in and the work done by the sports scientists and the medical staff is very good.
“On Thursday, we had our training sessions, and a lot of the work has been done behind the scenes with video sessions and trying to profile the opposition. We have also been analysing our processes and to see where we can get better and to improve.”
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