‘It’s difficult when you play in front of a full stadium away from home but you need to play in such an environment,’ he said.
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Arthur Sales has underlined the importance of keeping the notoriously vocal Ali La Pointe Stadium crowd quiet when the Brazilians take on MC Alger in an eagerly-anticipated CAF Champions League group-stage clash on Friday night.
Sundowns to face capacity crowd?
The encounter in Algiers has already generated significant anticipation, with reports suggesting that tickets for the match have been snapped up well in advance. With a capacity crowd expected, the atmosphere is likely to be intense as the home team aim to secure their first victory of the campaign.
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The Algerian champions come into the match under pressure after suffering a disappointing 2-1 defeat away to Al-Hilal in their previous outing, a result that has left them eager to steady their campaign. Sales emphasised the need for Sundowns to impose themselves early and not allow the home support to influence proceedings.
The 3-1 win over Saint-Éloi Lupopo at Loftus Versfeld last weekend has given Sundowns the perfect start, and the Brazilian forward insists that composure will be essential in North Africa.
“It’s difficult when you play in front of a full stadium away from home but you need to play in such an environment,” he said.
“If you impose your game, fans will go away but the most important thing is to dominate the game, keep the fans at bay and play our own game.”
The lanky attacker expects nothing less than a stern test against last season’s quarterfinalists, who were eliminated by Orlando Pirates. Despite the challenge ahead, Sales revealed that preparations for the trip have gone well and that the team is mentally ready for a high-intensity contest.
‘We’re ready to play’
“It’s a tough game and when you play a Champions League game, you need more focus and preparations,” he added.
“We’re ready to play this game, preparations went very well and it’s time for us to show up against a good team. I think we will give a good game to the fans and everyone.”
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Sundowns will once again look to the form of Nuno Santos, who netted a brace in the win over Lupopo, while Marcelo Allende also got his name on the scoresheet as Sundowns made a perfect start to the competition.
