Mokwena Praises Sundowns’ Quadruple Pursuit

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena expressed immense pride in his team’s fight for a historic quadruple this season.
Sundowns have participated in six competitions this season, already claiming the African Football League (AFL) trophy in November. They fell short in the MTN8 final to Orlando Pirates on penalties in October. Their Carling Knockout run ended abruptly in the first round against TS Galaxy, a fixture played just a day after many key players featured for Bafana Bafana against Ivory Coast.
However, the challenge remains strong. They’ll face Stellenbosch FC in the Nedbank Cup semifinals and sit at the top of the DStv Premiership table, poised to secure their seventh successive league title soon. The “African giants” are currently in Tunisia, preparing for their CAF Champions League semi-final clash against ES Esperance at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Stadium on Saturday (21:00).
Despite playing 45 games across all competitions (winning 31, losing 4, and drawing 10), Mokwena sees no signs of fatigue and urges his team for more.
“I’m incredibly proud of this group,” Mokwena declared at a press conference in Tunisia on Friday. “Even considering the number of games, their domestic success speaks volumes. Look at Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca – back-to-back league titles is a remarkable feat for this team. They deserve more credit.”
Remarkably, Sundowns has conceded only one goal in their past 10 Champions League matches. Mokwena hopes to maintain this defensive solidity against Esperance at home.
“It’s not just me,” Mokwena acknowledged. “Huge credit goes to our entire analysis team. We’ve put in the hours, studied countless games, and identified Esperance’s strengths. We know we’re facing a strong opponent.”
The sold-out fixture in Rades is expected to see a passionate crowd of 65,000 fans packing the stadium.