Wydad Casablanca head coach Sven Vandenbroeck has revealed the key element that has made Mamelodi Sundowns trouble North African teams.
Mamelodi Sundowns has undoubtedly been a thorn in the flesh of most teams on the continent, even during Pitso Mosimane‘s era.
The Tshwane giants have been one of the few teams that have dared to tame North African teams in continental competitions.
And as they prepare for the CAF Champions League semi-final second leg, Sven Vandenbroeck has bowed down to Masandawana.
WHY MAMELODI SUNDOWNS TROUBLE NORTH AFRICAN TEAMS
The recently appointed Wydad Casablanca coach Sven Vandenbroeck said Mamelodi Sundowns’ football system is hard to cope with.
According to him, that is the main reason they failed to break them in the first leg played in Morocco.
Sven Vandenbroeck is the first to admit that Mamelodi Sundowns’ Rulani Mokwena is sophisticated in his tactical approach.
“They dominated play starting after 10 minutes in the first leg. They have a good squad, and the coach has been there for a long time.
“His hand is quite obviously seen in the offensive and defensive way. They play using a system that is not common in football, especially to us in the North.
“They play with four players in midfield and two deep strikers, which is more useful in countries like Zambia and Tanzania,” he said.
WHY NORTH AFRICAN TEAMS STRUGGLE AGAINST SUNDOWNS
Sven Vandenbroeck added: “For us in the North. It is very unusual, so it caused problems for us in the first game at home.
“We tried to rectify everything in training, so we hope to have a better image in the next match here.
“But still, after watching again the last game which we played on Saturday, I’ll give little more chance to Sundowns to qualify.
“We will put effort to try and beat them. As you know, the goal away counts double. So it gives us a bit of an advantage if we get it,” Sven Vandenbroeck said.
What gives him confidence is that he has a healthy squad except for two players that would need to pass a late fitness test.
“Everyone who came here to South Africa is fit. We have one striker who is doubtful and one who is sick. So we’ll see if he is 100% fit to play tomorrow,” he added.
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