Africa’s biggest club competition, CAF Champions League, returns this weekend with several intriguing fixtures. Our match preview is here to get you up to speed ahead of the weekend games with focus on South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns versus Wydad Casablanca of Morocco.
Sundowns are currently in Morocco to honor the second-leg fixture of the 2018 CAF Champions League group stage against the defending champions slated for this Friday, and have already completed today’s training sessions.
It has been a good week for Sundowns after progressing to the semis of the 2018 MTN with a 2-0 win over Golden Arrows at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
For Wydad, it has been over two weeks since they last entered the pitch for a competitive match. On July 28, the title holders defeated Guinean side Horoya 2-0 in the fourth group stage at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca.
The first leg between the two sides ended one-all after the holders came from behind through Ismail Haddad’s 20 minute header. Friday’s match is as crucial as any match as Wydad will be hoping to extend their points as leaders of Group C, while coach Pitso Mosimane and his Brazilians will be targeting at least a point. A draw will give the Brazilians a good chance of progressing to the knockout phase, but a victory will be a better one in order to avoid stress ahead of their final match against Horoya.
“Wydad are a difficult team, they know how to manage the game. They play cleverly. You must be careful of penalties. They are very good in set-pieces. We conceded a goal from a corner-kick the last time we played them. When the time favours them they delay the game. They do anything. You know the North Africans. The Champions League is a different cattle of fish. It’s an awkward tournament. But we know how to play it. It has its problems with traveling,” Coach Mosimane told Sundowns official website.
On the other hand, the result from Horoya and Togolese side AS Togo-Port could also turn heads in the group. Horoya are currently seated third in the group -leveled on points with Sundowns as Togo-Port occupy the bottom-place on three points.
