Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is confident that his side will be “stronger” next season as they once again attempt to win the Caf Champions League title.
The Brazilians were eliminated from the continental competition after Wydad Casablanca went through on the away goal rule following their 2-2 draw at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the semi-final second leg.
Goals from Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile were cancelled out by a goal by Ayoub El Amloud and an own goal by Mothobi Mvala in Pretoria after the first leg ended goalless at the Stade Mohamed V in Morocco.
Mokwena has since identified his side’s weakness which led to their exit from the competition and stated that set-pieces were their downfall against Wydad.
“We will continue with this dream and we will win the Champions League, but it might not be this season of course,” Mokwena told his club’s official website.
“It might not be the next season but eventually we will win the Champions League and we will win it playing the way of the club, its supporters and its culture because if you want to change the style of football then you’ve got to take out quite a lot of what speaks to this club.
“We have identified one of the major strengths as to why the champion’s league trophies have gone to the north [and] it is because of that [set-pieces], but it’s not the only reason.
“Part time what I think was a big determining factor was the experience and you could see it, but that is not something that you have to go and buy. It’s not something that you can get a coach in to deal with, that is something that the players have got to go through and learn from and for sure next season we will be stronger.
“What is clearly evident is the fact that we haven’t been in the semifinals of a very difficult and important competition for the last three years, and so the gains are evident even though they are marginal. The mistakes are evident and even though they are marginal, but this game that we play in this competition in particular doesn’t allow for mistakes because you get punished.”
Photo by Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
