Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has cautioned against undermining their CAF Champions League group opponents and highlighted a lesson from Bafana Bafana, who were shocked by Mauritania in their previous failure to qualify for AFCON.
Sundowns have been drawn in Group A alongside Pyramids of Egypt, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the lesser known FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania in the CAF Champions League group phase.
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Mokwena has cautioned against undermining Nouadhibou, especially having to travel to Mauritania, as he recounted how their national team made things difficult for Bafana after beating them 3-1 at home and drawing 1-1 in Mbombela in the return fixture.
Bafana failed to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations following those damaging results against Mauritania, with their 1-1 draw against Mauritania in the last group game sealing their fate.
"Good draw, competitive, very difficult, some difficult teams, Mazembe tough, we go to Congo, we go to Mauritania, we go to Egypt, Pyramids also tough," Mokwena said at the Carling Knockout Cup launch.
"I watched them (Pyramids) play against Al Ahly in the Cup, very difficult team and the Mauritania trip will be tough because you know even with Bafana, the last time we played against Mauritania as a national team we lost 3-1 and we struggled to even beat them in the previous fixture, playing 1-1.
"So it's going to be very difficult but yeah, a competitive fixture, difficult tournament but we'll do our best to make sure we're ready and well prepared for an important competition for the football club," he added.
The first round of the CAF Champions League group stage fixtures are scheduled for 24-25 November 2023.
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