Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says with the group of players he has he sees his team winning many matches away in the CAF Champions League. 

The group stages of the Champions League started on Tuesday this week and the Brazilians played their first game against Congolese side AS Maniema at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. 

Mngqithi’s side failed to score at least one goal in this game as it ended 0-0. The Brazilians came to this game having lost 2-1 against Magesi in the final of the Carling Knockout over the weekend. 

Mngqithi says he believes in his players and not panicking because his team will win many games in the Champions League. 

“To be straightforward, in this group I think we’ve got even probably more potential to win more matches away and even at home,” Mngqithi said. 

“At this stage, I don’t press any panic [because I trust the group of players we have] but I think it could be bad if we lost this match [against Maniema] after we have lost the final [of the Carling Knockout against Magesi]. 

“Going to this match with all the problems we had, the number of days and the number of matches, and how much of a change we could have made in the starting lineup based on the challenges that we had; I strongly believe that if we had to take out all those underlined circumstances maybe in this match we could have far stronger than we were. 

“I still believe that the group that played also gave a good account of themselves. It’s just that those final decisions with those final touches but there were some good breaks and suddenly you can’t get a shot at goal. 

“Things like that are the ones that will kill you, but the truth of the matter is that there’s room out of positives that I can take out under the circumstances.” 

Sundowns are in second place in Group B with only one point. Next month, the Brazilians will travel to Morocco as they will be facing the log leaders AS FAR in Stade El Abdi on 7 December. The last game of Sundowns in 2024 in the CAF Champions League will be next month as well on the 15t December at home against another Moroccan giant Raja Club Athletic.