MAMELODI Sundowns are determined to complete their Caf Champions’ League group phase still at the summit of Group.
Pitso Mosimane’s charges will on Saturday fight to stay top of the group when they meet Angolan side Petro de Luanda in Angola at 3pm.
Three points for the Brazilians will see them secure an unassailable 13 points to prepare for the knockout stage, where by virtue of finishing top of the group, will earn a seeded berth and avoid the “big boys” as Mosimane likes to call the top teams.
“Our match on Saturday is a must-win, of course sometimes you just don’t win, but you must fight to win to stay top of the pack,” said Mosimane who was voted Coach of the Month for December on Thursday, alongside Bidvest Wits striker Gift Motupa who won Player of the Month and Kaizer Chiefs’ Samir Nurkovic won Goal of the Month.
Sundowns will play their last group match of the Champions League next Saturday, 1 February against nemesis Wydad Casablanca in Tshwane.
Seven days later they will kick-off their Nedbank Cup campaign, starting with a tricky clash against Tshwane rivals SuperSport United in the Last-32 stage.
Sundowns just beat SuperSport 2-1 in their second round Tshwane derby at the weekend, which makes the Ke Yona cup a must see.
Mosimane said they will fight against all odd: “We have to fight also for the league in South Africa, even though odds are stacked against us. It been difficult for us due to the tight schedule and a mixture of competitions.
“We are involved in Champions League, the PSL and now the Nedbank Cup. We have been doing the same thing in December in the Telkom Knockout."“We are humbled and appreciate that we have been recognized,” Mosimane said about his Coach of the Month award.
