Johannesburg - There are three reasons why Mamelodi Sundowns should be confident of getting the better of Wydad Athletic Club in Saturday's second leg, semi-final CAF Champions League tie at Loftus Versfeld.
That's the number of times the Moroccan side has been beaten on the road in this season's campaign as they seek to hold on to the title they won last year. And a Sundowns side that is on an unbeaten run this time around should surely fancy their chances of overcoming their continental nemesis.
Wydad, though they have got this far in the competition, have tripped along the way – a sign that they are not invincible. The defeats to Rivers United, JS Kabylie and Simba may not have counted for anything in the bigger scheme of things, but coach Rhulani Mokwena and his team will look at that and see a chink in the armour of a team that twice ended their continental campaign.
And having managed to hold them goalless in their own backyard despite having two players sent off, everything surely points to a Sundowns success today, doesn't it?
Even the Wydad coach seems to believe the Brazilians are favourites to reach the final.
Sven Vandenbroeck was generous with compliments to his adversaries at Friday's pre-match media conference at the match venue, the Belgian lavishing Sundowns with so much praises he could well have been lulling the South African champions into a false sense of security.
“You all saw the game last week that Sundowns was dominating the game after 10 minutes. They have a good team and the coach is longer there and his hand (on how they play) is obvious. They played with an uncommon structure of four midfield and two deep strikers, we find it unusual and it cost us in the game a little bit. We hope to have it better in the game tomorrow, but after watching the last game I will give a little bit more chance to Sundowns to qualify.”
Just about everything seems to suggest so, what with Sundowns never having lost to Wydad in South Africa in five meetings – three matches going the Brazilians' way and two ending in stalemates.
There has to be a winner on Saturday though and while a goal draw would work for the visitors, such is Sundowns' desire to reach the final that they will stop at nothing to overcome Wydad.
They have already shown in this campaign just how lethal they can be having smashed Al Ahly as well as CR Belouizdad, and Wydad know just how dangerous their hosts can be.
“They scored in every game, not only here but also away. They scored four in Algeria and two in Al Ahly – even our game we were not opening the doors behind. So we won't play an offensive game but we won't withdraw too near our half … But we will for sure not play with four strikers.”
North African teams are renowned for their defensive prowess and Wydad will be no exception as they will likely strive to contain Sundowns and catch them on the break. It is a ploy Mokwena will be prepared for and have an answer to as he seeks to confirm his status as one of the country's brightest coaches while cementing his name as a great prospect on the continent.
The match kicks off at 3pm.
@Tshiliboy
IOL Sport