Rulani responds to ‘Sundowns strongest team in Africa’ remarks

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has responded to flattering remarks that the South African champions are the strongest team on the continent.

The remarks were made by CR Belouizdad head coach Nabil Kouki after his team were eliminated by an unstoppable Sundowns. 

Mokwena’s troops put in yet another dominant performance on Saturday. They beat Algerian side CR Belouizdad 2-1 in the second leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.

FROM A GOAL DOWN

The Tshwane giants showed character as they came from a goal down to win 2-1. They got their goals through captain Themba Zwane and Thapelo Morena. 

The polished display at Loftus came on the back of a masterclass in Algeria, where Sundowns hammered CR Belouizdad 4-1.

With the emphatic 6-2 aggregate win, they booked a place in the semi-finals for the first time in three seasons. They will face Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club in the CAF Champions League semis.

It is the breathtaking, impeccable, and flawless performances that have left Nabil Kouki of CR Belouizdad convinced that Sundowns are the “best team in Africa right now.” Kouki backed Downs to win the continental title as “they are on a higher level” with a brilliant technical team and players.

To put the cherry on top, Sundowns breezed through to the Champions League knockout stage, finishing at the summit of Group A without a defeat.

One might even argue that the 2016 African champions have solved the North African teams’ conundrum. They hammered Egyptian giants 5-2 at Loftus last month following a 2-2 away in Cairo in the group stage.

On top of that, they wrapped up the DStv Premiership title with seven games to spare, winning their sixth straight league title. And at some stage, they were on a 25-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.

“We receive the compliments with a lot of humility and appreciation, coming from a very experienced coach on the continent,” said Rulani Mokwena.

“But like I always say, [being showered] with the pleasantries is like being fed honey with a knife. I don’t have to go too far back because a couple of weeks ago, we lost to Stellies, and we were the worst team. I was the worst coach.

“So this is football, and in football, you’ve to take the good moments just like you take the bad moments. Not too high on the good moments.

“We’ve got a 24-hour rule, so we’re going to enjoy the game, the feeling, and then rest, lots of sleep… So we come in, and we clean the game from our system. And then we prepare for a very difficult match against AmaZulu.”

The AmaZulu league clash will take place on Wednesday, 03 May, in Durban.

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