Sundowns must be wary of Ahly
Sundowns can secure ACL berth
By Mark Gleeson
Mamelodi Sundowns’ record-breaking winning streak in the league might be gone, but that does not distract from the potential of a command performance this season that could attain even more resonance on Saturday.
Sundowns will be up against Al Ahly, the undisputed kings of African club competition, at Loftus Versfeld in the group phase of the African Champions League, looking not only to secure a quarter-final place at the expense of the Cairo giants but also to send out another warning of their potential.
It is a fortnight since Sundowns went to Cairo and drew 2-2 against Al Ahly, scoring first and then going behind before forcing a late equaliser for a deserved share of the spoils.
They will be fancied to beat the Egyptians at home, but that is no given. Even when out of form, as Ahly have looked in recent weeks, they are not a team to take lightly and if they get on the front foot and score first, there is usually little way to overcome them.
Percy Tau returns to Pretoria with them and will likely only come off the bench, but whatever the case he needs a convincing performance to get back into the Bafana Bafana squad.
Sundown have already got themselves into the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals after beating Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein last week and the rest of the field will be settled by this weekend’s matches. There are two all-PSL clashes - Lamontville Golden Arrows and Royal AM meet in a Durban derby on Saturday and then on Sunday when Stellenbosch are away at TS Galaxy.
Stellies are looking for a good cup run this season to reinforce their progress as a side and go to the clash at the Mbombela Stadium on a run of five matches without defeat. They will be particularly buoyed by their performance last Sunday in halting Sundowns’ winning run.
There remains a five-point gap between Arsenal and Manchester City in the English Premier League, although that margin was within seconds of being reduced last Saturday before the Gunners pulled off a thrilling last-gasp goal against Bournemouth.
Arsenal have an even tougher game on Sunday at Fulham, one of this season’s surprise packages and never easy to beat in their own backyard, plus the pressure that will likely come from Manchester City having played and won again the day before. City should win at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace, who have gone 10 games without success.