Former Bafana Bafana midfielder Teko Modise has explained why he tips Mamelodi Sundowns for what he views to be a breeze against FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo in the CAF Champions League on Saturday.
The Brazilians host the Congolese side in the opening match of their Champions League Group C clash at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. Sundowns are bidding to clinch Africa’s premier continental tournament for the first time since 2016.
They face Lupopo, who are playing in the Champions League group stage for the first time, having reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals in the old version of this tournament, then called the African Cup of Champions Clubs, in 1969 and 1982, respectively.
With other Group C contestants, Al Hilal taking the lead after defeating Rulani Mokwena‘s MC Alger 2-1 on Friday, Sundowns are looking to win by at least a two-goal margin to assume top spot.
Making the afternoon in Tshwane potentially an interesting one is that Lupopo could spice the match with some antics. The Congolese side brought dramatic scenes to Orlando Stadium when they visited Orlando Pirates in a second preliminary round, second leg match in October.
Defender Dieumerci Mukoko was the star of the show with antics that provoked Pirates and, in the process, earned himself a suspension for Saturday’s match. But Modise feels Lupopo’s mind games will not work against Sundowns, and tips the Lubumbashi side to be inferior to Masandawana in the Loftus clash.
MODISE GIVES LUPOPO NO CHANCE AGAINST SUNDOWNS
“Just to put context to this for the fans, we have also seen how they played against Orlando Pirates, how dirty they are. It will require us to play differently, it will require a different mindset,” Modise said on The Pitchside Podcast.
“When we play at home, they are not a team to match us. From a football [perspective], they won’t match us at all, even if we play with 40% they won’t match us.
“But the problem is when they play at home themselves, they will try to play dirty, they will try to play off the park. We have seen the incidents, especially with no VAR, and we have seen their off-the-ball incidents.
“It’s things we need to be careful of because we need our star players to still be able to perform well. They know who the star players are for Mamelodi Sundowns, and they will try to play dirty on them.”
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