Pitso Mosimane, Africa’s most successful club coach, is set to face his toughest test yet as manager of Al Wahda in the UAE Pro League.
Mosimane guided his charges to their second league win in three matches when they narrowly beat Hatta FC 1-0 on Sunday.
Syrian forward Omar Khribin got the only goal of the match. The victory saw them move from ninth to fifth position after amassing six points.
It means he has won two and lost one, which was the opening game against Al Bataeh on August 18, 2023.
The mandate is clear for the South African mentor. He has to guide the Abu Dhabi-based club to their first league title in 13 years.
Reacting to Sunday’s win, Mosimane said his side wasted clearcut opportunities. “We played against an advanced team with their new coach who managed to close down spaces and reduce our threat,” said the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns coach.
“We wasted clear opportunities that could have given us a significant lead. We didn’t perform at the level we aimed for. But we achieved what was required. Earning three crucial points. Now, our focus will be on the match against Shabab Al Ahli.”
The match against Shabab Al Ahli looks set to be his toughest yet in the UAE. The encounter will be played on Friday, 29 September 2023. Shabab Al Ahli are joint second with Al Ain in the UAE League courtesy of goal difference. Shabab have maintained a 100 per cent record in the first three games. They will be looking to continue their winning ways.
In those three encounters, they have only conceded one goal and scored seven. Mosimane’s Al Wahda have scored four goals in three games and conceded three.
WHAT PITSO MOSIMANE HAS ACHIEVED IN THE PAST
Shabab have won two league titles in the last six years, bringing their tally to eight in history. That feat makes them one of the most successful teams in the West Asian country.
The last time Al Wahda won a trophy was in 2018 when they lifted the UAE League Cup.
Mosimane has a chance to end that trophy drought, as he is also in the running for the UAE Emirates League Cup.
This after the Kagiso-born mentor guided his side to an impressive 8-0 aggregate win over Emirates.
The Emirates Cup is Mosimane’s second attempt at laying his hands on silverware after he was booted out of the Arab Club Champions Cup.
However, he has a track record for lifting trophies wherever he goes. The 59-year-old coach has won three CAF Champions League titles with two different clubs, Sundowns and Al Ahly.
He is also the first African coach to win the FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal, which he achieved with Al Ahly in 2021. On home soil, the former Bafana Bafana coach guided Downs to five league titles.
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