Sundowns are on the brink of yet another CAF Champions League semifinal appearance after a stylish 3-0 win in the first leg over Stade Malien on Friday night.
According to the cub’s former winger Keagan Dolly, the real battle at Kabo Yellow often comes when opponents decide the only way to survive is to defend.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS AND THE LOW-BLOCK PROBLEM
Dolly, who was part of the legendary Sundowns side that conquered Africa before securing a move to France with Montpellier in 2017, explained that most opponents arrive with one clear mission: don’t lose.
“Playing for Sundowns, no game is easy,” Dolly said on the Pitchside Podcast. “Every team has a point to prove, especially in the second round [of the league], everyone has something to play for, nobody wants to lose, and none more so coming to you, playing a team that’s been dominating.
“Teams wanna prove themselves and not want to lose – for us, coming up with situations and solutions at training, we knew what to expect, we had to know how to deal with these low blocks and how to be patient over 90 minutes. Maybe 60 minutes we’ll be on the ball.”
The current Cape Town City star from Westbury, Johannesburg, added to say that patience was crucial, noting that the team needed to understand the right moments to play a deep pass or make a penetrating run.
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HLOMPHO KEKANA AND TEBOHO MOKOENA SOLUTIONS
He added that the Sundowns group had the experience to manage those situations, highlighting leaders such as captain Hlompho Kekana and other players capable of taking shots from long range to increase the pressure on opponents.
“They are the ones who add the pressure, the current team has that as well with uTebza [Mokoena] who can score from anywhere, Allende is showing himself as well, so there are these players that can help the team in situations like this, and I feel like it’s going to be an interesting second round,” Dolly concluded.
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DO YOU SEE MAMELODI SUNDOWNS WINNING THE BETWAY PREMIERSHIP OR CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIS SEASON?
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