Mamelodi Sundowns are off to paradise this week but it will not be all fun and games in the sun as they attempt to make sure of progress through to the group phase of the African Champions League.
It will arguably be the easiest assignment that Sundowns are likely to have at this stage of any future continental club competition assignment when they take on Cote d’Or in the first leg of a second round tie at Stade Linite on Saturday‚ playing on an artificial surface against a team of part-timers.
But the Bafana Bafana players in the Sundowns team will do well to remember that the last time they were in the Seychelles they were part of a national side that flopped against the tiny Indian Ocean island nation‚ being held to a goalless draws in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Cote d’Or are playing in African club competition for only a fourth time and won a tie for the first time when they edged Fomboni of Madagascar on the away goals rule after a 2-2 draw away and then 1-1 at home in the first round.
They scored in the last minute of the second leg to secure progress.
Sundowns depart for the Seychelles on Wednesday and return on Sunday.
They have their MTN8 semifinal second leg tie against SuperSport United at Atteridgeville next Wednesday.
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