'I do anything to win a game': Mokwena after Sundowns’ draw against Al-Hilal

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has thanked his players for a supreme effort in reaching the Caf Champions League quarterfinals with Saturday's 1-1 draw in their penultimate Group B match against Al-Hilal in Sudan.

Hilal now have to avoid defeat against Egyptian giants Al Ahly in Cairo in their last match on March 31 to ensure they join Sundowns in the last 8.

Ahly, the 10-time winners of the competition who lost 5-2 to Sundowns in Pretoria last week, are on seven points and a 2-0 win will take them to the quarters as group runners-up no matter the result when Sundowns host bottom-placed Coton Sport of Cameroon.

“Good players and we do our homework all the time,” Mokwena said of Hilal. “They are a good team regardless of who plays.

“I have a lot of respect for a lot of the players and for the coach — a very, very good coach in Florent Ibenge.”

Mokwena did not want to entertain the permutations for their game against Hilal, where Sundowns had to avoid defeat for Ahly to still have a chance to make the quarterfinals.

Ahly coach Marcel Koller had added spice to the situation when he pleaded with Sundowns last week to give their all against Hilal though the Brazilians were meeting the Sudanese outfit with one foot already in the knockout stages.

“I [always] do anything possible to win the game,” Mokwena said. “We didn’t win the game and so that’s on me and I first put pressure on myself before I put any judgment on anybody.

“Second, I don’t respond to the media and I say the work is on the pitch. I think we tried to win the game and it was evident on the pitch.” 

Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams redeemed himself by saving Yousif Yagoub's penalty in the last minute of the match after he had gifted Mohamed Abdelrahman a 72nd-minute equaliser. The Brazilians had taken the lead via Khuliso Mudau's 62nd-minute strike. 

In his short post-match reaction Mokwena admitted Hilal gave them a lot of trouble.  

“Difficult match and difficult conditions. We take the point. We have to now go and host Coton Sport and try to win.

“But congratulations to the squad for being first in the group. That’s the positivity we can take out of this game.

“But we could have won the game and it’s a pity we didn’t. So, we have to go again and try to improve and make the team better.”

On form, Mokwena will remain confident of his team progressing as far as the final. Downs remain unbeaten after 19 matches in all competitions (16 wins and three draws) since Mokwena was promoted to sole head coach in October.

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