Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena took the blame for the 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in their CAF Champions League encounter and brushed off the claims made by Egyptian media in the build-up to the fixture.
Sundowns and Hilal played to a 1-1 draw in the searing heat of Omdurman on Saturday afternoon with Khuliso Mudau and Mohamed Abdelrahman on the scoresheet.
Ronwen Williams was disposed for the equaliser but made up for his mistake by saving a last-minute penalty – an effort that kept Al Ahly in the competition going into the final game.
“Difficult match, difficult conditions, and we take the point and go now to South Africa with one point,” Mokwena said in the post-match press conference.
“There’s a good team [but] we could have won the game today, it’s a pity we didn’t win it. So we have to go again and try to improve and make the team better.”
Ahly now need to beat Hilal 1-0 in Cairo to become the final side to book their place in the quarter-finals and Mokwena, was accused of being willing to throw the game away to eliminate the Red Devils and refrained to entertain the notion.
“I’m not paid to judge any team, before I judge my team, I judge myself and ask did I do everything possible to win the game, so we didn’t win the game – that’s on me. First, I put pressure on myself before I put pressure and judgment on anybody [else],” he added.
“I don’t respond to the media, I say the work is on the pitch and things are on the pitch, we tried to win the game and it’s evident on the pitch.”
Sundowns will now have a two week break before facing Coton Sport in the final Group B game which could secure top spot going into the last-eight draw.
