Komphela Downplays Pressure To Win CAFCL

Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela has played down the pressure to bring the coveted CAF Champions League trophy back to Chloorkop ahead of the second leg of their two-legged final against Pyramids FC.

The Brazilians suffered a major blow in the first match in Pretoria as they surrendered their lead to concede a crucial away goal at the death to Walid Elkarti. As a result, they head into the return leg in Cairo on the back foot.

However, reaching the final is a milestone on its own as the club previously choked in the latter stages of the competition. In the last two editions, Sundowns got eliminated in the semi-final stage by Wydad Athletic Club in the 2022/23 season and Esperance de Tunis in the last campaign. 

Now, having broken the hoodoo, the expectations have grown at Chloorkop, with Masandawana 90 minutes away from returning to the summit of African football. 

However, Komphela doesn’t see the huge expectations as pressure on their shoulders, urging the team to embrace the occasion.

“Pressure is a privilege to us; if you succumb to pressure because you embrace it as pressure, you won’t perform. If you say to your kid, ‘go get me a cup of tea’ and then you put them under pressure that ‘don’t break the cup, I paid R500 for that cup’, be guaranteed that cup is going down the floor because of pressure,” stated the 57-year-old tactician.

“But when you face pressure, you have to look at it as a pleasure and a privilege to overcome so that you test your strength. Run your race, be strong enough, and test your capacity against the toughest challenges.

“If you come through, then it’s an upgrade; if not, then you go back, it’s another opportunity for you to come back.”

The return leg is set to take place at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday [19:00], with Sundowns determined to add a second star to their crest, while the ambitious Egyptian outfit will be keen to claim a historic first-ever Champions League title on home soil.