Sundowns hunting for a finisher

Sundowns beat Algerian side USM Alger 2-1 on Saturday night to book their place in the last eight with two games to go and Mosimane says tougher challenges are yet to come.

READ: Sundowns march into the Caf Champions League quarterfinals

“It will relieve a little bit on the system so that we can put more (focus) on the local league but now there’s Esperance, Al-Ahly, Zamalek, Raja Casablanca, Etoile Sahel (as potential opponents in the Champions League knockout rounds so we are still going to sweat.

“We will have to face anyone of these teams if we want to progress to the last four, you can’t hide if you want to win the Champions League,” said Mosimane.

“Those teams are strong but we have experience and when they come to Pretoria it is not easy, we control the game and we have a chance to win here.

“I think in 2016 nobody knew us…but now for the past three years, they know us and we’ve gained a little bit of experience. It is the first time we qualified with two games to go and it is the first time that we beat a North African team at home and away since 2016,” he added.

While Downs did get all three points, the scoreline could have been more emphatic if it was not for the countless chances that his false strikers squandered, and as a result, “Jingles” says he will intensify his search for a new striker.

“I was also a little bit nervous because I knew that we had to wrap it up but I am happy with a team that creates chances, dominates and controls the game. “Yes, you can never be happy with the missed chances but when you create them, you can always say …we had something.”

“This game and the game against Wits showed us that we need a finisher.

“We don’t need a playmaker and our defending is not such a problem. We need someone who can finish the attack.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.