Al-Ahly host Mamelodi Sundowns in a Caf Champions League group match on Saturday night in Cairo. (Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Since Mamelodi Sundowns arrived in Egypt, the cold winter temperature has been averaging at lows of 12 degrees and when Downs take on Al-Ahly on Saturday night, the weather has been forecasted at 13 degrees.
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With Masandawana coming from a hot South African summer to the cold weather in Cairo one would think the players will struggle to adjust to different temperatures. Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena, however, does not seem to think so.
“When it is too hot, it affects the physiological operations of the body, from breathing to cardiovascular system. So we have to use the advantage of not having hot weather conditions,” said Mokwena.
“You have moments where you have the temperature at singular degrees, which you only get in South Africa under extreme circumstances only. Sometimes the temperature goes negative, especially at midnight. The drop in the weather climate is extremely drastic. But we expect the players to do as best as they can,” Mokwena added.
Sundowns, meanwhile, are sitting comfortably at the summit of Group B, and a win against their arch rivals will see them move to nine points.
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Mokwena knows it won’t be a walk in the park, especially since reports have suggested that the clash will be staged at a sold out Al Salam Stadium.
“We know that we have to give our best against a very good team to give ourselves a chance to win. It is never easy to come here. They are a team that we beat twice last season, home and away, so they will come with a little bit of respect for us as much as we also respect them. What happened in the past has very little bearing on games like these. This is a big game with big players and it is important for both clubs,” said Mokwena.
Sundowns and the Red Devils have played some captivating matches, demonstrating their ability to compete on an equal footing. Despite both teams aiming for victory, Mokwena emphasizes that there will always be mutual respect between these two African powerhouses.
“The way we speak about them as an opposition is probably the same way they speak about Sundowns that has very good players and is difficult to play against, that is well-coached and well organized. I can use the same points because these are two good sides and you need good players to decide the result,” said Mokwena.