Mamelodi Sundowns will host Al Ahly SC in a crucial Caf Champions League encounter on Saturday, March 11 at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
Kick-off will be at 15:00 pm. After their convincing 3-0 win over Coton Sport on Saturday, Al Ahly coach, Marcel Koller went on to send a warning to the Red Eagles’ next opponents, Sundowns.
“We deserved tonight’s victory. The early goal made our mission easier and helped us achieve the result that we wanted. The team had a very good game despite suffering from injuries. We want to progress from the group and we will fight for that,” Koller told the club’s media department.
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Al Ahly is currently third in Group B with four points from three matches, two points behind second-placed Al Hilal Omdurman.
Al Hilal host Coton Sport on Tuesday, March 7 in Sudan. A win for Al Hilal will put more pressure on Al Ahly, making it a must-win game against Downs on Saturday.
Will Sundowns survive the Al Ahly onslaught?
Against Stellenbosch FC on Sunday, March 5, Downs coach Rulani Mokwena rested most of his regulars, including Ronwen Willians, Mothobi Mvala, Tebogo Mokoena, Marcelo Allende, Themba Zwane, Aubrey Modiba and Cassius Mailula. It was a risky decision that saw the Brazilians surviving scary moments against a determined Stellies, ending Downs’ 15-match winning streak.
Mokwena’s decision shows how serious he takes Saturday’s game, which will require fresh legs on the pitch, with a high-intensity game expected against Al Ahly.
A win on Saturday will take Downs to 10 points, close to quarter-final qualification.