Sundowns’ Mokwena remains positive despite Wydad defeat

Despite coming up short against Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of the African Football League (AFL) final, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is still in a bullish mood.

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The 2-1 defeat at Stade Mohammed V on Sunday means Sundowns have it all to do in the second leg that is scheduled to take place at Loftus Versfeld this Sunday.

It was at the same venue where Wydad triumphed against the Tshwane giants in last season’s Caf Champions League on away goals rule following a 2-2 draw in the semifinals.

Mokwena will have to come up with a tactical master plan to reverse the scoreline and bag the club’s first AFL title, having last tasted continental glory in 2016, winning the champions league when the 36-year-old coach was an assistant to Pitso Mosimane.

“This is our first defeat in continental competitions but because we have high ambitions we feel the defeat so much,” Mokwena said.

“We will see what will be the difference in the second leg. We have to prepare, try to recover the players and get back to South Africa as quickly as possible … (to) give the players a lot of rest and make them understand it’s not over. We will do everything we can to make sure we’re champions.

“We have to prepare with a clear understanding that whatever the score was today, the message to the players was going to be that we have to win in Pretoria and the message is still the same.”

To rub salt into the wounds of the Brazilians will be the loss of their leading goalscorer in the competition Thapelo Maseko and defender Grant Kekana to injury. Both players will be in a race against time to recover in time for the spectacle.

“The reality of the situation is that most people will not understand the importance of the question you’ve just asked because most people like myself who don’t play don’t understand the demands and affects that it (traveling) has physically on players,” Mokwena said about their prolonged trip to North Africa to play Al-Ahly in the semifinal and then Wydad.

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“We have to find mechanisms to cope with the situation and make sure we assist the players not just on recovery but injury prevention. Traveling to Cairo was a very difficult trip for us with a lot of complications and having to also travel to Casablanca. We have not been home for a very long time but we don’t complain. We still finished the stronger of the two teams in the second half and I want to congratulate my players for that and only focus on those positives,” concluded the Sundowns coach.