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Johnson says Sundowns should use Champions League heartbreak to good effect

Former Al Ahly assistant coach Cavin Johnson says Mamelodi Sundowns may have been floored by lowly Petro Luanda of Angola in the Caf Champions League recently but believes the experience will help them bounce back as they are keen on trying to get their second star. 

Johnson, who won a Caf Champions League title with Ahly in 2020, believes South African league champions Mamelodi Sundowns have the best squad in Africa and all the qualities it takes to succeed in continental football.

Masandawana’s bid to lift their second Champions League silverware ended after being eliminated in the quarter-finals by Angolan giants Petro.

“This was supposed to be Sundowns’ year. Sundowns is the best team. In my opinion, they had the best team to win the Champions League. They failed; they didn’t do well against Petro Luanda. Petro hasn’t been in the Champions League for a long time, haven’t been competing in the Champions League,” Johnson told FARPost.

Cavin Johnson

“Sundowns always have good players. They should have beaten Petro at home. They should have done their homework a little bit more; the failure was at home.”

“A lot of homework needs to be done and have scouts to keep an eye on for you, giving you all the information you need, especially when you have a good team like Sundowns. Everybody has to be on the same page for you to win.”

The 63-year-old believes Sundowns will turn the wheel and get things right as time goes on.

“I give credit to South Africa, but we still have a long way to go. To win these things doesn’t happen overnight. Al Ahly are not 109 years for nothing; I don’t think Sundowns is 52 years old. We have to look at their history when they were a team from Marabastad as part of our diversity within our country,” he added.

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