Johannesburg - Amid the euphoria of beating Al Ahly for the first time away from home in the CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns’ co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi also lauded the foundation his Saturday's counterpart Pitso Mosimane laid at Downs.
On Saturday night out in Cairo, in the group stage of the Champions League, the Brazilians beat the Eagles 1-0 for the first time in their own backyard. Thapelo Morena came off the bench to score the winning goal.
This win was even sweeter for the Brazilians, given that it came against their former coach Mosimane. The latter won 11 trophies, including the African crown, with the Brazilians during a stint close to a decade before his move to Al Ahly.
Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena, the Sundowns’ co-coaches, were Mosimane's deputies during his illustrious reign. But in their first meeting last year, they lost 3-1 on aggregate to their predecessor in the quarter-final of the African showpiece.
But the script - after eight meetings where Al Ahly had four wins, Sundowns one at home with three draws shared - finally changed on Saturday night as Sundowns won on the road for the first time ever. However, Mngqithi lauded Mosimane.
“We are very excited to win in Cairo,” he said. “But this is also a win for coach Pitso. He laid the foundation in this club and has put his foot forward. He still says that this team plays his football. So, if they lose and we win, he has won again.”
Just like any other hotly anticipated clash, there were talking points. Al Ahly welcomed backed to the stadium a handful of fans who made their voices heard from start to finish. They also fuelled their team’s dominance in the first stanza.
However, Downs were the first side to be on the unfortunate end. Co-coach Mokwena received a red card for dissent after the restart. But Mngqithi didn’t read too much into that, citing miscommunication between his peer and the referee.
“We were not fighting with the referees. Instead, the referee assumed that our goalkeeper was trying to waste time. But the truth is that he was fouled and we tried to clear the ball out so that the goalkeeper could get the attention,” he explained.
“But they didn’t allow that. They allowed Ahly to play while they could see that the keeper was down. We were not faking that. We were not trying to waste time. We hardly do that. That’s what made us to talk - to say that we are not wasting time.”
He added: “With referees you never want to say that you are happy with them or not because the truth of the matter is, they are also human beings and they make mistakes sometimes. And we have to accept that and forgive them in the end.”
After that win in the land of the Pharaohs, a highly motivated Sundoowns will be eager to continue with the winning momentum when they resume their league campaign against TS Galaxy in a six-pointer at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday.
The Brazilians are sitting at the top of the standings with a 16-point lead ahead of the second-placed Kaizer Chiefs, while the Rockets are flirting with relegation as they 14th and three points ahead of bottom-place occupants Baroka.
@Mihlalibaleka