Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, the last two winners of the CAF Champions League, will face each other tonight in a CAF Champions League Group C fixture set to be played at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.
The South African ABSA Premier Soccer League champions elect were dethroned by Wydad in the quarter-finals last year, losing a penalty shootout in Morocco after both clubs won 1-0 at home.
The Brazilians are in good mood having captured their eight domestic title. Their coach Pitso Mosimane has already declared their next ambition, stating that they want to put into their trophy shelf another Champions League title.
“We have played there twice now and have what the experience although it doesn’t make it any easier because teams have gotten tougher. Our intentions are clear, and it is to win the Champions League because it gives us another shot at the club world cup. It is obviously not easy with all the travelling and the daunting schedule, but we are a club with ambitions and this is just one of them,”the 53-year-old coach told CAF Online.
Ahead of the clash, the Brazilians know they have an opportunity to grab the early ascendency and against North African opponents making use of the home ground advantage is a must.
But Sundowns’ preparations going into the game have been so good though.They will be missing several players though injuries.They will also be missing their talisman Percy Tau who is out on suspension.
Wydad on their side are once again on the rise as they have reached the knockout stages for the second time in successive years. But they too have not had the best of starts to their domestic campaign as they opened their account with a disappointing 3-1 loss against FUS Rabat this past weekend.
They easily made to the groups stages of Champions League by demolishing Williamsville 7-4 on aggregate over a two-legged encounter.
Wydad secured a 7-2 win at home in Morocco, but succumbed to a 2-0 loss away in Abidjan to the Cote d’Ivoire side.
The other Group C match will see Togolese debutants AS Port facing Horoya of Guinea in Lome
