No break as Downs are back on CAF duty

15 June 2016 - 10:35 By KHANYISO TSHWAKU

Ordinarily Pitso Mosimane and his Mamelodi Sundowns crew would be on holiday watching the Euro 2016 tournament. Thanks to AS Vita's player registration skulduggery, they find themselves on CAF Champions League duty. AS Vita were disqualified for fielding suspended player Idrissa Traore during the preliminary matches of the competition.Not that they are complaining. While it was a slice of unexpected fortune, Mosimane tried to downplay the pressure his team were under and the need to ensure that they were not in the group stages to just make up the numbers."All we did was to remind the players that we had our group stage objective and this is where you are. We're among the eight best teams on the continent and we haven't been in the group stages in a very long time," he said."I know we have another opportunity next year but we should give this year our best shot. Maybe we could use this year as a dress rehearsal but you know how it is with the group stages."He added: "There are a number of big-name teams that aren't here but that doesn't dilute the quality of the competition."Sometimes, you may find that you perform best when you're under the least pressure where you go out and just enjoy yourselves."Algerian club ES Setif lie in wait for Sundowns on Saturday in Setif. But Mosimane is aware of the quality of the teams in their Group B. They will have further dates with Enyimba (Nigeria) and Zamalek (Egypt).Group A, which contains Zesco United (Zambia), Al-Ahly (Egypt) and Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), appears to be the group of death...

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