Sundowns snatch late CAF win

Sundowns went into the clash on a high having secured the Absa Premiership title last week and although the team held off celebrations midweek, Masandawana seemed to be suffering a hangover for much of the match on Saturday.

The West African visitors claimed the lead early in the game and left Sundowns playing catch-up. It was far from panic stations, but Sundowns certainly took their time getting into the match and only equalised in the 80^th minute. Brazilian striker Leonardo Castro did the honours, heading in his side’s first goal from a corner.

Khama Billiat gave Sundowns the lead a couple of minutes later with a fantastic long range effort from a near-impossible angle down the right flank. Cuthbert Malajila scored the third before full time to secure victory and a two point buffer ahead of the second leg clash in Ghana.

Reflecting on the performance, coach Pitso Mosimane admitted that his side were still on a high after their domestic glory and were slightly distracted from Saturday’s task.

“These people are human beings, they are still celebrating after winning the league. It was very difficult. Some people asked me how we would take the team into this clash in a celebratory mood when your playing in the less fancied Confederations Cup. It was about our mentality,” Mosimane said.

“You wouldn’t believe, but at half time I never said one word, I never coached. I kept quiet.”

It seems as though his silence spoke volumes, as his charges responded with three goals in the second stanza. Mosimane put that down to the performance of his substitutes.

“They played in the second half and the subs did very well. Malajila gave us power up front, we put in Teko to play a little bit and Zwane was a forced substitute due to injury,” the coach said.

“This is African football, this is CAF. It’s funny; you can’t explain it and you don’t know what’s coming. Sometimes you play very well and you missed, tonight we didn't play well and we scored.”

Having scored three goals means Sundowns can go to Ghana and park the bus. They’re unlikely to do that, given how they’ve played this season, and Medeama’s style of play will force Masandawana to play football.

“If we focus and concentrate, we should be able to come out. But you know what I like, this team plays. They didn’t come here to sit back; they played and passed the ball, its Ghanaian football. They don’t sit back, it will be an open game there and that will be nice. I think we can go there and score, but we don’t have to,” Mosimane said.

Sundowns head to Ghana next week to face Medeama in their second leg clash on Tuesday, May 17.

Twitter - @gazza_jenks @ECRSportswave 

Facebook - ECRSportswave