'What budgets are you complaining about?' says Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane to SA sides

After Mamelodi Sundowns successfully negotiated passage to the quarterfinals of the Caf Champions League with a commanding 3-0 win over Lobi Stars of Nigeria on Saturday‚ Pitso Mosimane urged South African sides to make continental competitions a top priority.

Kaizer Chiefs were dumped out of the Confederation Cup by Zambian side Zesco United and Orlando Pirates are in danger of being eliminated from the Champions League group stages after they were held to a 2-2 draw by FC Platinum of Zimbabwe on Friday.

“It is important for SA football that teams like Pirates and Chiefs go to the last stages of these tournaments because SuperSport United once did it‚” he said‚ adding that there is no excuse for failure.

“It is important because our league is top‚ we don’t have an excuse.

"We just do not have an excuse not to represent the country properly on the continent.

"Why should Algeria‚ Tunisia and Egypt always have two teams in the two competitions‚ we also need to have two and stay longer.”

“We can’t complain about budgets.

"What budgets are you complaining about?

"Where do other teams get the budget from?

"Simba FC from Tanzania are playing in the group stages of the Confederation Cup‚ let’s be honest and treat this tournaments right.

“It is also important for our national team because when Bafana Bafana beat Nigeria 2-0‚ Percy Tau and Themba Zwane played twice against Enyimba in the Champions League.

"Everybody needs to take this serious‚ we need to team up and fight everybody from outside.”

Looking back at the game against Lobi Stars‚ Mosimane said he was satisfied with his charges' performance.

“I am happy with the performance‚" he said

"I am happy that we outplayed Lobi Stars and they were chasing shadows.

"But I am not happy with the chances we missed.

"We had good chances and we could have been a little bit shrewd in front of goal and the score is not a true reflection of the game to be honest.

"I am happy that the team won an important game.”

Lobi Stars coach Solomon Ogbeide admitted that they were beaten by a better side.

“We played against a good side who have been together for long time and you can see with their movements‚" he said.

"We came here with one of our best midfielders and we were only told on Friday that he is suspended.

"If they informed me while I was in Nigeria‚ I could have brought 18 players.

"I was told on Friday that he is on two yellow cards and he is suspended.

"That caused problems in my midfield but I take full responsibility for the result‚” said Ogbeide.