Following a 1-0 win over Pyramids, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena explains why his tactical masterclass and why his side plays like Man. City of England.
Mokwena says Manchester City are capable of winning ugly as Sundowns grafted to secure a 1-0 win in Cairo in the CAF Champions League – he talks tactical masterclass.
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Sundowns scored a solitary yet beautiful strike by midfielder Teboho Mokwena at June 30 Stadium to clinch the full three points and Mokwena praises his tactical planning.
In his analysis, Mokwena explains why Sundowns can be compared to Pep Guardiola’s City and Arsenal simply because of tactical masterclass and prowess.
The 2016 African champions, Downs cemented their top spot in Group A as they now have seven points from four matches and Mokwena will now turn their focus to the DStv Premiership.
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MOKWENA ON SUNDOWNS TACTICAL MASTERCLASS, SIMILAR TO CITY
Already likened to Guardiola by Sundowns fans, Mokwena says they had to play according to the demands of the game just like City does.
This comes as in the previous seasons, Sundowns were accused of struggling to win “ugly” but Mokwena’s men proved they can grind out results when needed.
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“We are football romantics, we love football but we also understand that in the game of football you have to answer what the game asks of you,” Mokwena said according to iDiski Times.
“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 majority of the game 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.”
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RULANI ON THE MODERN GAME, SUNDOWNS SIMILAR TO CITY
The 36-year-old Masandawana mentor, Mokwena says the modern game has different demands and his men had to adjust in Egypt.
He also looks at why Manchester City are a difficult side to beat, adding that the English Premier League champions, City work really hard.
“If you look at the modern game, the best teams in the world… what makes Manchester City a difficult team to beat, because they work very, very hard when they don’t have the ball,” adds Downs mentor Mokwena.
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“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.”
Meanwhile, the reigning league title holders, Sundowns will meet Cape Town City on Sunday, December 24.
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