Away win the target for Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns will have to come down to earth after lifting the Absa Premiership title and playing a friendly match against Spanish giants Barcelona at FNB Stadium all in the space of about five days, and turn their focus to the Caf Champions League.

The eight-time league champions are in Guinea’s capital city of Conakry where they are set to face Horoya AC this evening in a Group C showdown (kick-off 6pm).

The match was initially scheduled to be played a week ago, but the Confederation of African Football (Caf) agreed to postpone the match to allow Downs to host Barcelona, though the Tshwane giants did have to pay R1 000 000 in costs.

The Brazilians are currently third in Group C, with a single point earned from a 1-1 draw against group leaders and defending champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco. A win tonight for the 2016 winners will see them move level on points with the Moroccans – a prospect that Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is cognisant of.

“Wydad won 3-0 against Horoya AC so we have to try and win away to catch up and hopefully we will win and are joint leaders with Wydad,” said Mosimane.

“But we have to get the win first, it is not going to be easy but also we have to understand that in the group we don’t have to be emotional, we have to be smart and know that yes, you can win, but sometimes it is difficult so you don’t have to risk everything and then you open up.

“I think we could have beaten Wydad at home and I think the Togolese and Horoya will also struggle against us at home. If we play the same way we played against Barcelona and play our combination passes, we should be able to win our next two games at home,” he added.

Horoya are currently second in the group after winning their first match at AS Togo-Port.

This is the Guinean side’s first appearance in the Champions League group stages.