Perched pretty on the summit of the Premier Soccer League, Mamelodi Sundowns turn their attention towards their quest to conquer the African continent for the second time.
The 2016 Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League winners begin their campaign buoyed by a 3-1 defeat of AmaZu1u on Friday night, courtesy of goals from Ricardo Nascimento and a Sibusiso Vilakazi double.
After that victory, which opened a seven- point gap whch was reduced to four by second-placed Orlando Pirates' 3-1 win over Kaizer Chiefs yesterday, the Brazilians travelled to Rwanda, where they will begin their campaign against Rayon Sports in a first round, first leg clash on Wednesday.
The reigning champions of the Rwanda Premier League parted ways with their coach this week. Former Rwanda international Olivier Karekezi left the team in the lurch when he left for Sweden after a 1-0 loss to archrivals Armée Patriotique Rwandaise last Sunday.
Assistant coach Jeannot Witakenge and goalkeeper coach Ramadhan Nkunzingoma have taken charge of the team. The Blues, as Sports are known to their fans, are believed to be bidding to appoint Ivan Minnaert, the Belgian who had a stint with National First Division outfit Black Leopards, on a permanent basis. Though they are eight-time RPL champions, Sports have proved paper tigers in continental competition.
In their seven appearances in the premier continental club competition, Sports, who play at the 30,000-capacity Amahoro Stadium, have reached the second round only once. Milutin Sredojevic, who was national coach of Rwanda from 2011 to 2013, shared insight into what awaits Sundowns in Kigali.
"Sundowns can expect a full stadium at the Amahoro, which has a natural grass surface; unless Sports decide to take the game to the 22,000-seater Nyamirambo Stadium which has artificial grass," said Sredojevic.
The Orlando Pirates coach pretty much predicted an easy encounter for Pitso Mosimane's men: "They are a competitive team, but Sundowns is miles ahead of them. If they play on natural grass, Sundowns will slaughter them 5-0. They play an attacking type of football."
Their most prominent player is Eric "Kame" Ndayishimiye, a former street footballer who has risen in prominence to become the No1 goalkeeper for the national team. He was in the Chan competition squad for Rwanda when they drew 0-0 with Nigeria and lost to Libya to a last-minute goal. He is capable," said Sredojevic.
"They are the most-supported team, the blue colour of Rwanda, and have a big rivalry with APR, an army team supported by the Tutsi. Rayon sport is supported by everyone. They are what you can call a uniting factor of Rwanda. Also, they have very passionate supporters, among the best in east Africa. I can say they are the same as Bloemfontein Celtic in terms of the singing and the dancing but they are in blue and white.
Also in Champions League action on Wednesday night are Bidvest Wits, who take on Angolans Primerio de Agosto in Luanda, Angola, in the first leg. Caf Confed Cup 2017 runners-up SuperSport United play Petro de Luanda in Luanda in the same competition on Tuesday. Cape Town City are away to Costa do Sol of Mozambique in Maputo on Wednesday in the first leg of the Caf Confed Cup...