Rulani Mokwena: Mamelodi Sundowns Head Coach Applauds Team's Resilience in Cairo Triumph

• Rulani Mokwena has lauded his team’s resilience against Pyramids
• Mamelodi Sundowns successfully held on to a slender 1-0 lead
• Tshwane-based dominators are now tied on points with TP Mazembe

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Rulani Mokwena has heaped praise on his team's fortitude in securing a pivotal 1-0 victory over Egyptian club Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.

The Group A clash played in Cairo saw Sundowns successfully navigate the pressure of safeguarding a narrow lead.

In a highly competitive group where all four teams entered the game with four points, Sundowns and TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo bolstered their quarterfinal prospects with significant wins.

Teboho Mokoena's remarkable 17th-minute goal in Egypt propelled Sundowns to victory, but the team faced adversity when the Bafana Bafana midfielder exited the field injured after only 35 minutes.

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Despite Pyramids creating scoring opportunities in both halves, they failed to capitalise.

Reflecting on the challenging encounter, Mokwena acknowledged the difficulty of facing a formidable opponent like Pyramids.

“It's difficult to play against a good team such as Pyramids. We didn't give away a lot of chances. I'm happy with the performance and way we kept the ball, but sometimes we had to defend without the ball and we suffered a bit,” said Mokwena as reported by Times Live.

He echoed the team's ability to adapt to adverse conditions, expressing satisfaction with their ball retention and defensive efforts. He said Pyramids remain a contender for the quarterfinals, with upcoming matches against Mazembe and Nouadhibou.

"If the game asks you to counterattack, you have to counterattack. If the game asks you to suffer, you have to suffer," Mokoena is quoted on Sunday World.

In the other match, Mazembe secured a 2-0 victory over Mauritanian club FC Nouadhibou in Lubumbashi, placing them second on goal difference, tied with Sundowns at seven points.

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Sundowns will face the same opponents in their final two group matches, with fixtures against Nouadhibou in late February and Mazembe in early March next year.

Sundowns received fortune for Tau

Sports Brief also reported that Mamelodi Sundowns is ranked first as the PSL to have ever received the highest transfer fee for a player.

The Tshwane-based dominators of South African football picked up a pretty penny from Brighton and Hove Albion for Percy Tau.

Just under £3 million is low by Premier League standards but in 2018 Sundowns received roughly R51 million from the Seagulls.