Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has explained his tactical masterclass to beat Pyramids FC in Egypt by drawing comparisons to Manchester City and Arsenal.
Mamelodi Sundowns emerged victorious from their clash with Pyramids FC on Tuesday in the CAF Champions League, and Rulani Mokwena explained the tactical masterclass behind the win.
Mokwena wasn’t shy about praising his men’s performance in the 1-0 win at 30 June Stadium in Cairo, thanks to a beautiful goal by midfield general Teboho Mokoena.
Drawing inspiration from European giants Manchester City and Arsenal, Sundowns coach Mokwena delivered a tactical masterclass.
This has left Mokwena confident that his side is truly mastering the “modern game”, as the win saw Sundowns move to the summit of Group A in the Champions League after four games with two wins, a draw and a defeat. The Tshwane giants are on seven points, level with second-placed TP Mazembe, with two games left in the group stages.
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Long criticised for lacking grit, Sundowns under Rulani Mokwena in 2023/24 silenced their doubters by mastering the art of the “ugly win.” This newfound tactical versatility proved decisive in their African Football League triumph, demonstrating a side capable of not just dazzling football but of battling through adversity and grinding out results when necessary.
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“We are football romantics,” said Sundown coach Mokwena. “We love football, but we also understand that in the game of football, you have to answer what the game asks of you. “If the game asks you to counterattack, you’ve got to counterattack. We don’t play for that. if the game asks you to suffer and absorb, we have to suffer and absorb pressure. But we don’t play for that.
“For the majority of the game (against Pyramids FC), we had some good moments where we dominated possession, and that’s not always easy in the Champions League. So we had to play and answer that; that’s the modern game at the moment. “If you look at the modern game, the best teams in the world. What makes Manchester City a difficult team to beat? It is because they work very, very hard when they don’t have the ball.
“What makes Arsenal at the moment probably the best team in the English Premier League is that they work very, very hard when they don’t have the ball. “And that’s where the modern game is. Answer the questions that the game asks you. If the game asks you to win from set pieces, you have to win on set pieces. That’s what football is.”