Johannesburg - Any doubts that Mamelodi Sundowns were worthy of their place in the CAF Champions League group phase after their re-entry into the competition was via the boardroom two months ago were officially put to bed at the weekend when the Brazilians beat Zamalek 2-1 away from home to all but guarantee their place in the semi-finals.
It’s the reaction - more than the Sunday night encounter itself - from football fans to how Sundowns were able to hold their nerve at the Petro Sport Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, that has naysayers now singing a different tune.
We all knew Pitso Mosimane’s men were up against it as they squared up to a pretty formidable side in the White Knights who have had great success (five Champions League titles, one African Cup Winners Cup and three CAF Super Cups) on the continent.
But Mosimane proved that he has come a long way since his naïve days as Bafana Bafana coach having gone to the same city just over five years ago as national team mentor and failed to come away with the vital three points that would have helped edge him closer to guiding South Africa to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sure, this was club football, but Mosimane is now smarter, playing to win and knowing when to shut the back door after Khama Billiat had put Sundowns back in the driver's seat with a second goal in the 67th minute.
Tiyani Mabunda had managed to break the deadlock as early as the 18th minute, much earlier than when he scored on his Champions League debut away to ES Setif of Algeria last month in a 2-0 victory that was later annulled by CAF because of crowd trouble.
Sundowns had been shaky at the back before Mabunda’s goal, so it was no surprise when Mohammed Ibrahim, an attacking midfielder and real livewire for Zamalek in the game before he was replaced in the second half after suffering what looked like a broken ankle, sneaked in behind Thabo Nthethe to grab the equaliser.
Downs stun the Egyptians giants as we march to the top of Group B! #Sundowns #DownsLive
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 17, 2016
”Switch on” would have been Mosimane’s war-cry immediately after his men conceded, and the coach knew exactly how to react. Everyone had a part to play and, to a great extent, the players tasked with making sure this was not a wasted trip fought hard to get back in front. Mosimane then took a gamble by bringing on fresh legs - and it wasn’t who everyone expected.
The hard-running Anthony Laffor made way for young Percy Tau in the 56th minute. Tau, who endured a rather average loan spell at Witbank Spurs in the National First Division the previous season, was thrown in at the deep end and delivered.
Another highlight, which again had SA football followers in a frenzy, was that the CBD, that famous combination of Leonardo Castro, Billiat and Keagan Dolly that terrorised defenders in helping Sundowns clinch the 2015/16 Absa Premiership, could also do it anywhere else in Africa when Dolly set-up Billiat for a cool finish to earn Sundowns maximum points.
The victory set Brazilians in pole position for a spot in the semi-finals of the continent's premium club competition.
@superjourno
The Star