Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has addressed the CAF Champions League group stages not having Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) after Cassius Maulila was denied a legitimate goal against Al Hilal.
The 21-year-old forward continued his rich vein of form by scoring the only goal in the game against the Sudanese giants at Loftus Versveld on Saturday, to open their Group A campaign with an important three points.
But early on in the second half, he was played in through by Neo Maema, before slotting the ball into the back of the net, and then incorrectly ruled out for off-side. Mokwena denied they will regret not scoring more, with Hilal and Al Ahly set to challenge for the top-two spots with Masandawana – meaning the head-to-head record could prove crucial.
“I think, first is to get three points, the target is to get as close as possible to 10,” Mokwena told the media in the post-match press conference.
“History tells you the lowest amount of points to come out of a group was four, but we want to try and get as close as possible to ten points because that guarantees you more a less a position in the knockouts.
“Three points, regardless of a scoreline is very important, a good clean sheet. It could have been more, I think we scored a very good goal for the second one unfortunately, it was adjudged offside, but in certain moments we were good, and we were comfortable.”
When pressed about VAR not being able to be called upon in these high-profile fixtures on the continent, he stayed clear of criticising at Confederation of African Football (CAF) with the technology available from the quarter-final rounds and beyond.
“Tough to call, tough to say, I guess it’s just a matter of time, step by step, we make slow improvements but it’s good because before… we couldn’t play at Loftus and now we can play at Loftus, so, slowly, slowly, the level is improving on the African continent,” he added.
“Of course [VAR] will contribute with the moving into space, but there’s good progress you know, even know we know VAR will come into the quarter-finals, that will assist, I’m just very pleased with the performance, apart from the goal, the performance as good.”
Sundowns now travel to Cameroon where they will face Coton Sport for their second-round fixture in Group A on Friday afternoon at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium (16h00).
