Johannesburg - The “baby” - as coach Pitso Mosimane referred to Mamelodi Sundowns when it comes to the CAF Champions League - that is the Brazilians crawled in the continent's premier inter-club competition last year before they bowing out in the first round.
This year they started walking, their baby steps taking them as far as the second round, where Democratic Republic of Congo's AS Vita reminded them that they aren't quite ready to fight it out with the continent's big boys.
Instead of advancing to the next grade in their education, Sundowns were dropped a grade down when they were relegated to the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs, where they will come up against Ghana’s Medeama Sporting Club.
But just because it's a grade down doesn't mean that the quality of education they'll get there is sub-standard.In fact, it will be harsher with teams like TP Mazembe, Etoile du Sahel and Al-Merreikh looking to make up for the disappointment of being dropped from the Champions League, while teams like Esperance, FUS Rabat and CF Mounana are motivated to continue their good run in the Confederation Cup.That's what makes this tournament tougher than the Champions League, because teams are driven by different reasons to succeed. “I wanted the Champions League, my heart is heavy,” Mosimane said.
”I am unhappy, but I am happy to go to the Confederation Cup and learn.”If the Confederation Cup isn't important, did you see when (Orlando) Pirates played Etoile? Are you going to tell me that environment in Tunis was a small environment? Etoile are a big team.”We take it. I have seen Al-Ahly say, ‘we take the Confederation Cup (seriously)’. It’s Al-Ahly, they take it (seriously).
“The mighty Al-Ahly. So who are we to look down on it? Who are we? What have we won for us to be looking down on it?”The answer is “nothing”.
Sundowns haven't won anything on the continent, except reach the final of the Champions League in 2001 when they lost to Al-Ahly. That's why they are taking the Confederation Cup seriously, looking to qualify for the group stage and use the experience there to prepare for the Champions League, where they're destined to return next year.Four years ago, AC Leopards were nobodies on the continent.
They won the Confederation Cup and suddenly became one of the toughest teams to beat on home soil.When Al-Ahly and Mazembe were demoted to the Confederation Cup, they took it seriously with the Egyptian giants winning in 2014.
Mazembe, after being knocked out by Pirates in the 2013 Champions League, went to the Confederation Cup, where they lost in the final to CS Sfaxien. Two years later, they claimed their 5th Champions League title.
Reaching the group stage will do Sundowns the world of good, firstmainly because they would bypass the preliminary round of the Champions League next year as they would be seeded.
They didn't get that in their last two Champions League campaigns and they had to played three rounds to reach the group stage.The Buccaneers got that bye last year, but the Soweto side also had two failed attempts, bowing out in the preliminary round in 2010 and 2012, before going all the way to the final of the 2013 Champions League.
Sundowns have done better than that. They paid “school fees” against Vita and will get to take a remedial class in the Confederation Cup, which should help this “baby” grow because the big boys are waiting for them next year.
Saturday Star