“Am I expecting us to score an early goal, probably because of how we have gone about playing the past few games,” he said, asking fans to be patient.
“For sure we have a goal in us in the first 10 minutes. Do I see a goal coming very early? I am not so sure, but the message I carry to the team is patience because we trust ourselves to unlock.
“We were able to score in Casablanca, but we were a bit unfortunate with the offside for Peter Shalulile’s goal. There is the trust that the goal will come, but we will have to be patient and patience is not just for the team and the players on the pitch but it also has to be for the crowd and the supporters.
“They have to be patient and know this team has goals and has the right mental attitude to overcome any of the football challenges we might face on Saturday.”
Mokwena added that Wydad have many good players and cannot be underestimated.
'This team has goals,’ says Sundowns coach Mokwena before showdown with Wydad
As they prepare for possibly their biggest match since winning the Champions League in 2016, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says they have a goal in Pretoria.
The Brazilians take on defending champions Wydad Casablanca in the semifinal second leg at Loftus on Saturday with the tie tantalisingly poised at 0-0 after there were no goals in Casablanca last weekend.
There must be a result, but Sundowns go into this match backed by their impressive home record of only two losses in the tournament since 2017, against Esperance and CR Belouizdad of Algeria in 2021.
Looking ahead to the clash at what is expected to be a packed and buzzing Loftus, Mokwena said he was confident they will at least score at home.
“Am I expecting us to score an early goal, probably because of how we have gone about playing the past few games,” he said, asking fans to be patient.
“For sure we have a goal in us in the first 10 minutes. Do I see a goal coming very early? I am not so sure, but the message I carry to the team is patience because we trust ourselves to unlock.
“We were able to score in Casablanca, but we were a bit unfortunate with the offside for Peter Shalulile’s goal. There is the trust that the goal will come, but we will have to be patient and patience is not just for the team and the players on the pitch but it also has to be for the crowd and the supporters.
“They have to be patient and know this team has goals and has the right mental attitude to overcome any of the football challenges we might face on Saturday.”
Mokwena added that Wydad have many good players and cannot be underestimated.
“They are a team that has got good players, they are a team that has good identity and structure and they are a team that has the right type of profile. I can only speak about what I have seen and watched.
“I have seen about nine games, if you include the match we played against them, then it is quite a lot of hours that has gone into watching the opposition.
“My perspective on this team cannot be influenced by what is written, but what I see and what I have seen of exactly what I have just given to you, and for sure, it is big respect and big appreciation for the type of team Wydad are.”
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