Ten yellow cards and 44 fouls in their past two games – Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent ‘dirty play’ could signal that Rulani Mokwena has cracked the code to beat dominant North African teams in the CAF Champions League.
Uncharacteristically, Masandawana picked many yellow cards and committed numerous fouls against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
Meanwhile, when they hosted Amakhosi on Saturday, their ball boys would delay giving the balls to Chiefs. That was seen as a time-delaying tactic and strategy to frustrate the opponents.
In the past seasons, they would barely do that with the club purely known for their fancy football.
Against the Soweto giants, many didn’t take pleasure in watching Mokwena’s men as they were not about impressing spectators as usual but rather desperate for the results.
That’s how dominant North African teams play. And, over the years, the Tshwane giants have been struggling to overcome that challenge in the CAF Champions League.
Giving the North Africans such as Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca their own medicine could be a solution to the problem for Sundowns.
Mamelodi Sundowns lost in the semi-final stage of the Champions League last season. They were defeated by Wydad Casablanca.
Mokwena admitted they have embraced the fact that they can’t always win in a fashionable way. However, he insisted they won’t change who they are.
MOKWENA ON THE ABILITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS IN DIFFICULT GAMES
“I don’t know if it’s dark arts, I grew up in an environment where I had imagined in my family and it has a little bit of influence on how I look at football,” said Mokwena.
“My father was a winger, my uncle was a number 10, and I’m told my grandfather was a number eight and an unbelievable footballer. I’m one that has an appreciation for football in the truest sense and I try to stay as close to that as possible.
“But of course, there are times we can’t always have the ball in the difficult games, we’ve got to be able to be resolute and find solutions. And I’m glad that this team is developing that.
“If you look at the best teams in the world, let’s go to Man City, for example. What do you think is Manchester City’s number one strength in possession and out of possession?
‘FOOTBALL HAS DIFFERENT MOMENTS’: RULANI
“Out of possession, when Liverpool were dominating and really winning things Champions League and challenging Man City, what was their greatest strength? The work they do without the ball.
“Real Madrid, when they were winning the Champions League three times in a row, what was their greatest strength? The work without the ball.
“I’m just glad that this team is able to appreciate that football has different moments. Ad in the different moments of football, they all are interlinked. But they need certain characteristics for sure.
“We’re trying to develop this thing as a team and develop the team so we are able to be stronger, to be able to be tactically more…people say chameleon, but that’s what chameleons do.
“It adapts, it doesn’t change its personality, it’s still a reptile, but it adapts and changes its colours depending on its surroundings. That’s the type of team we’re trying to become.”
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