Mvala: We Will Bring The Champions League Trophy To Mzansi
Mamelodi Sundowns defender Mothobi Mvala has boldly claimed that the team will return to South Africa with the CAF Champions League trophy by the end of the weekend.
Sundowns are set to face Pyramids in the Champions League second-leg final at the 30 June Stadium on Sunday at 21:00, carrying immense pressure on their shoulders.
This follows Sundowns conceding a last-minute equalizer in the first-leg final at Loftus Stadium last Sunday. They failed to deal with a cross, leaving Walid El Karti unmarked at the back post to nod home an easy header, giving the Egyptian side a crucial advantage.
El Karti’s goal canceled out Lucas Ribeiro Costa’s opener. The Brazilian star attacker had put Sundowns ahead in the second half of a game that ebbed and flowed for both sides.
Consequently, Sundowns will have to throw everything at Pyramids, as a goalless draw will be enough for Pyramids to secure their first Champions League title.
For Sundowns to lift their second Champions League trophy and become the first South African side to do so, they will need to attack from the outset; a 2-2 draw, for example, would see them emerge victorious.
“What we are promising fans of Mamelodi Sundowns, and everyone in South Africa at large, as we go to Egypt, is that we will come back with the trophy,” vowed Mvala, who painfully scored an own goal in the second-leg semi-final against Wydad Casablanca at Loftus Stadium in 2023, a mistake that led to their elimination and left many Sundowns players shattered.
“As players, we acknowledged our mistakes during our training sessions and we spoke about them. I think we have fixed them,” Mvala added.
Pyramids, who are new to this stage of the competition, have demonstrated they cannot be underestimated. After Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso made some second-half changes in Pretoria, the momentum shifted in favor of the visitors, who deservedly scored the equalizer.
“We don’t care how we are going to do it, but we are going to come back with the trophy,” reiterated Mvala, whose season has been hampered by injuries, leading to coach Cardoso frequently adjusting his back four.
