By Michael Madyira
Mamelodi Sundowns have what looks like a promising passage to the CAF Champions League final after getting Young Africans as quarter-final opponents.
After mostly being paired with North African sides in recent seasons, the Brazilians now meet the Tanzanian giants in the last eight of Africa’s elite club competition.
If they beat Young Africans and proceed to the semi-finals, they come up against the quarter-final winner between Esperance and Asec Mimosas.
Esperance have always been tough opponents for Sundowns while Asec finished on top of Group B.
But for now, Sundowns have Yanga to worry about and while the East Africans might look like easy opponents, Masandawana might not be looking at it that way.
Young Africans stunned CR Belouizdad 4-0 in the group phase in what was their biggest result of this stage.
“My thoughts on the Champions League draw? I’m not so sure yet,” Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena told the media.
“Of course, I watched the draw but I can’t tell you my immediate thoughts because I have to watch the opponent closely. I have watched all the opponents, I have watched all the games in the Champions League. But I’ve watched as a coach, not as an analyst.”
In recent seasons, most of Sundowns’ knockout phase opponents have been former Champions League champions, but this time around they face off with Yanga who have never been crowned African champions before.
“Fortunately, I have a nice Fifa break coming up where my focus will just be on Yanga. I will go as far back as I possibly can and try to see their profile,” said the Masandawana coach.
“They’ve got a good coach in Miguel Gamondi – he was at Sundowns. [Yanga are] a very organised team with a very good structure.
“So, let’s see before I jump to any sort of conclusions because now I have got to focus on the next game against Maritzburg, which is a tough one.”
Sundowns are bidding for a first Champions League title since 2016.
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Pictured above: Mamelodi Sundowns players celebrating against Pyramids FC.
Image source: Mamelodi Sundowns
