Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi took a swipe at Kaizer Chiefs for hosting Al Ahly in their facilities ahead of Downs’ 1-0 Group A Caf Champions League win at the FNB Stadium on Saturday to qualify for the quarterfinals.
The usually reserved Mngqithi said Saturday’s victory was made sweeter because their opponents were not only able to use Chiefs’ facilities at Naturena to prepare, but in the match were even given a better change room at FNB that is normally reserved for Chiefs.
“I think what makes it [the victory] sweeter for me is beating the collaboration,” a serious-looking Mngqithi said of Chiefs allowing Ahly to train at their Village ahead of Saturday’s crunch match.
“We remember that during the bubble [in matches Downs played against ‘home’ teams Bidvest Wits and Black Leopards at FNB in the 2019-2020 season] we couldn’t use Chiefs change room. Countrymen couldn’t use that change room, but this change room was opened for Al Ahly now against us.
“And for me, winning this match was sweeter because I felt Chiefs was being spiteful by allowing that because you could have easily taken Al Ahly to that change room that’s got a ramp on the other side — that long distance.
“It’s our home match but it’s not our home match when they’ve got a change room of a home team. So that for me was very spiteful because we almost had the same scenario last season.”
“But we don’t talk about these things because we respect and we’re patriotic. We’ve been in this space of the Champions League for many years now.
“Wydad Casablanca [of Morocco] wanted to train at our facility when they were coming to play Chiefs last season. But we didn’t allow Wydad to train at our facility because that would have meant that we’re forming an alliance with people from outside.”
Mngqithi hopes that no SA club will repeat what Chiefs, who were beaten by Ahly in the final of the last year’s Champions League in Morocco, did for Ahly.
“So for me, more than beating Al Ahly I think this is a good lesson on respecting the fact that when we compete at this stage we’re no longer competing with the Sundowns badge but we’re competing for the badge or the flag of the country,” he said.
“It’s very important that inasmuch as we say we mustn’t create opponents or enemies, we must have a bit more respect of the fact that we’re representing the country.
“Ahly are representing their country and if the conditions are made nicer by our countrymen for the opponents, which we did not do last season, for me this is where this thing [beating Ahly] is a little bit nicer because when you say you’ve beaten a collaboration and we must be proud of it.”
Sundowns will complete their group matches with away and home matches against Sudanese clubs Al-Merrikh (March 19) and Al-Hilal (April 1).
Ahly’s defeat means they must beat both Al-Merrikh and Al-Hilal to have a chance of making it to the last eight.
Sundowns coach Mngqithi takes a swipe at Chiefs for ‘collaboration’ with Ahly
Image: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi took a swipe at Kaizer Chiefs for hosting Al Ahly in their facilities ahead of Downs’ 1-0 Group A Caf Champions League win at the FNB Stadium on Saturday to qualify for the quarterfinals.
The usually reserved Mngqithi said Saturday’s victory was made sweeter because their opponents were not only able to use Chiefs’ facilities at Naturena to prepare, but in the match were even given a better change room at FNB that is normally reserved for Chiefs.
“I think what makes it [the victory] sweeter for me is beating the collaboration,” a serious-looking Mngqithi said of Chiefs allowing Ahly to train at their Village ahead of Saturday’s crunch match.
“We remember that during the bubble [in matches Downs played against ‘home’ teams Bidvest Wits and Black Leopards at FNB in the 2019-2020 season] we couldn’t use Chiefs change room. Countrymen couldn’t use that change room, but this change room was opened for Al Ahly now against us.
“And for me, winning this match was sweeter because I felt Chiefs was being spiteful by allowing that because you could have easily taken Al Ahly to that change room that’s got a ramp on the other side — that long distance.
“It’s our home match but it’s not our home match when they’ve got a change room of a home team. So that for me was very spiteful because we almost had the same scenario last season.”
“But we don’t talk about these things because we respect and we’re patriotic. We’ve been in this space of the Champions League for many years now.
“Wydad Casablanca [of Morocco] wanted to train at our facility when they were coming to play Chiefs last season. But we didn’t allow Wydad to train at our facility because that would have meant that we’re forming an alliance with people from outside.”
Mngqithi hopes that no SA club will repeat what Chiefs, who were beaten by Ahly in the final of the last year’s Champions League in Morocco, did for Ahly.
“So for me, more than beating Al Ahly I think this is a good lesson on respecting the fact that when we compete at this stage we’re no longer competing with the Sundowns badge but we’re competing for the badge or the flag of the country,” he said.
“It’s very important that inasmuch as we say we mustn’t create opponents or enemies, we must have a bit more respect of the fact that we’re representing the country.
“Ahly are representing their country and if the conditions are made nicer by our countrymen for the opponents, which we did not do last season, for me this is where this thing [beating Ahly] is a little bit nicer because when you say you’ve beaten a collaboration and we must be proud of it.”
Sundowns will complete their group matches with away and home matches against Sudanese clubs Al-Merrikh (March 19) and Al-Hilal (April 1).
Ahly’s defeat means they must beat both Al-Merrikh and Al-Hilal to have a chance of making it to the last eight.
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