Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams exuded confidence and a strong sense of destiny following the hard-fought qualification for the CAF Champions League semi-finals.
The Tshwane giants beat Esperance of Tunisia 1-0 on aggregate to book a semi-final spot for the second consecutive time as they aim to win the title again.
Ironically, Esperance, under Miguel Cardoso’s tutelage last season, were the team that knocked Masandawana out of the competition. This time around, a 1-0 win at home was enough to send Sundowns through after a goalless draw in Tunis.
The defending South African champions will now face the reigning African champions, Al Ahly, in the semis later this month.
Speaking after a tense encounter, Williams lauded the team’s resilience and character. “This one is up there as one of the best, just because of the desire and the character from the team to dig deep. It’s not easy coming here [Tunisia],” he told the club’s media. “We knew it was gonna be a fight. We knew they were gonna come guns blazing. We stood firm, and we didn’t give them a sniff.”
CHANGED THE HISTORY OF MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
The Bafana Bafana goalie noted how the current crop of Sundowns players changed the history of the club by defeating Al Taraji for the first time ever.
“When we beat them at home, we changed the history of the club [because] we hadn’t beaten them before. So when we beat them at home, I knew and I had a feeling that this year it’s ours,” ‘Ronza’ declared with conviction.
The influential shot-stopper also credited the technical team, particularly the coach, for his insights on the opponent.
“The coach obviously played an important role; he knows them, so he gave us all the insights…how they were going to play, what they’re going to do, and the possibilities. So we knew the threats, we knew their weaknesses, and we knew it’s going to be a game of small margins. And that’s exactly how it was last year.”
He added that they “want to grow as a team”. “Last year, I think they had two chances in both legs and they went all the way to the final. I think this year, we probably had two chances and we took one. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
The Brazilians will be hoping that Williams’ feeling proves prophetic as they aim to lift the coveted CAF Champions League trophy this year.
Sundowns tasted Champions League glory in 2016 under Pitso Mosimane and have failed to replicate that form in recent years.
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