Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has shared his unwavering belief that the club can rise to the occasion in Cairo and claim their second CAF Champions League title, despite the setback of conceding a late away goal in the first leg.
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The Brazilians were held to a 1-1 draw by Pyramids FC at Loftus Versfeld in the first leg of the final. With the away goals rule still active in CAF competitions, the Egyptian side now hold a slight advantage heading into the decisive second leg in Cairo.
But rather than focus on what went wrong in Pretoria, Motsepe has chosen to view the situation with optimism and belief, insisting that the current opportunity is one every club on the continent would dream of.
“The thing is, we started the year off wanting to be African champions,” Motsepe told journalists at the Carling Black Label Partnership announcement.
“If we rewind to the start of the season and you could tell me that we would be in our position right now, having played one game in the Champions League final, drawn 1-1, and having it all to play for in one last final away from home, I would be so excited. I'd probably take your hand off and say let’s go for it.”
Sundowns will need to score in Cairo to have any chance of winning the title, with anything less than a victory or a high-scoring draw resulting in heartbreak. But the chairman is adamant that the team sees this as more than just a challenge, they see it as a privilege.
“The opportunity that we have is one that is so exciting. We as a football club see this as a privilege, and we’re going to go there with both hands and make sure that we take advantage of the gift that’s been given to us and the opportunity that’s in our hands.”
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Having already conquered the domestic front with a record-extending eighth consecutive league title, Sundowns now have their sights firmly set on adding a second star to their badge, following their 2016 triumph.
“Yes, of course,” Motsepe concluded. “We want to go there as African champions and we’ll do everything we can to be there.”
Sundowns travel to Egypt knowing exactly what’s required. For Motsepe and everyone at Chloorkop, this is more than just a match, it’s the final step in a season-long mission to reclaim their place at the summit of African football.
