Retired former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Hlompho Kekana has advised the travelling team to ignore the off-field antics of Young Africans’ fans when the teams meet in the first leg quarterfinal of the CAF Champions League at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.
Sundowns, who clinched the inaugural African Football League in December, are still searching for their second Champions League crown after failing to reach the final in the previous seven years.
Kekana, who was the captain when Sundowns conquered Africa in the 2015/16 season, has warned the team about possible the hostile treatment they might receive at the Benjamin Mkapa.
“Off the field issues actually play a big role in influencing the match and I say that because the home team benefits from that.
“If you play against players who are in the mood because of the supporters it becomes a very tricky task to overcome but when you speak about the experience of Mamelodi Sundowns on the continent, you are talking about a team that has matured.
“They understand that the demands of the match are actually on the field more than anything. You must try to ignore what might happen outside the pitch. Supporters in Tanzania are passionate. There are really two teams that side, Yanga and Simba FC, and you feel it when you get there,” Kekana said on the club’s pitchside podcast.
The team with the most points in the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL group stage is…
Mamelodi Sundowns with 13 points 👏 pic.twitter.com/orDPb1hCfU
— TotalEnergiesCAFCL & TotalEnergiesCAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) March 21, 2024
In an incentive to motivate players ahead of the game, the away team has promised big bonuses to players should they prevail to the semi-finals. Yanga has also given away over 35,000 free tickets to their fans.
Kekana further advised the players to stick together so they can overcome Yanga who never lost a home game during the group stages.
“When you are in that space as a player, you feel that you don’t belong there but then it gives you some kind of advantage to know that you don’t have anyone but your teammates, so you have to make sure that in order to overcome these obstacles, you have to stick together,” Kekana noted.
