Sundowns out to scale Pyramids in Cairo in battle to control Group A

Mamelodi Sundowns will target maximum points against Pyramids FC in a bid not only to secure a spot in the Caf Champions League quarterfinals, but also win their group.   

Sundowns have travelled to Egypt to battle with the tournament’s new kids on the block at Cairo’s June 30 Stadium on Tuesday (6pm SA time).   

With three games to go before the Champions League knockout stage, Group A is wide open with all four participants, including TP Mazembe of Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritanian outfit Nouadhibou FC, on four points. Sundowns lead on goal difference.   

Sundowns, with a win at home to Nouadhibou and 1-0 defeats to Mazembe away and  a draw against Pyramids at home in their last fixture, have struggled for the dominance they have been known for in previous Champions League group stages.

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has expressed the inaugural African Football League champions' desire to at least know their fate, in terms of qualifying for the quarterfinals, before they host Mazembe in the last group game in March.

He will also be aware progression will become tough if his team suffer a second successive defeat against Pyramids. 

“It’s very important [to win against Pyramids], but we know we have three games to go and in the three games we’ve got enough to make sure we get a [positive] result.   

“We’ve got two away matches. The first is this one in Cairo against the Pyramids and then we go to Mauritania, which will be very difficult because it is on an artificial pitch and the conditions are extremely difficult with the weather there.   

“Hopefully by then we will know what we need to do against Mazembe to make sure we not only qualify from the group but also finish first.   

“But let’s take it one game at a time because we’ve got some very difficult games before the end of the year.”   

Mokwena expects a much-altered Pyramids from the defensive team that held Downs to a goalless draw a week ago in Pretoria.   

“I got a glimpse of watching their midweek game when they played a 2-2 draw [against Baladiyat El Mahalla SC]. It is a game they should have won.   

“There were four players who didn’t start against us but started that league game. [Abdallah] El Said, the captain, had a very good game; [Mostafa] Fathi started and he had a good game; [Fiston] Mayele was upfront; [Ali] Gabr was playing and I think maybe to prepare him to replace Osama [Galal].   

“But they are still a very strong team with Walid El Karti aggressive in the midfield with a lot of intensity. Fagrie Lakay will always be busy and look for space behind.

“They have very good fullbacks in Hamdy Sharaf and Mohamed Chibi. They are a good team with a lot of good players. They also have Ramadan Sobhi, who didn't play the midweek league fixture.   

“But we have done a lot of work to analyse the performance of [Pyramids] against TP Mazembe at home, which is completely different to the performance they had when they played us at home.   

“It looks like it's a team that has different personalities for home and away fixtures. But we are ready, and we have done our homework and are excited to be here and make sure we win the match.”