Mosimane angry despite Sundowns win
The Brazilians edged Togolese side AS Togo-Port 2-1 on Friday night in Pretoria to claim the second spot in Group C behind defending champions Wydad Casablanca.
Head coach Pitso Mosimane of Mamelodi Sundowns reacts on the touchline (Aubrey Kgakatsi/BackpagePix)
Although Mamelodi Sundowns won their first set of three points in this season’s Caf Champions League group stages, Pitso Mosimane is not happy with his defence’s lack of concentration in critical periods of the game.
The Brazilians edged Togolese side AS Togo-Port 2-1 on Friday night in Pretoria to claim the second spot in Group C behind defending champions Wydad Casablanca.
“I am not happy about the goal we conceded in the last minute because it looks like it is becoming a trend,” said an alarmed Mosimane, who made references to similar lapses in concentration in his side’s recent matches.
READ: Sundowns keep Champions League hopes alive
“In Horoya (Guinea) we were leading 2-1 with six minutes left and they scored. Against Kaizer Chiefs there was about a minute left and they scored. It shows we are losing concentration at critical times and I have to work on that. It is a mental issue sometimes.”
Sundowns started like a house on fire, scoring twice in the opening 15 minutes but seemed to have lifted the foot off the pedal for most part of the game. The coach explained why.
“We lowered the tempo a little bit in the second half because they (Togo-Port) have been playing right through, they have more match fitness than we have, so we were managing the game, it was important for us. You cannot just attack and attack.
“They were quick, they could’ve caught us on the break. We were managing the game to get the legs going and sometimes we were not going forward much because we needed to keep the three points. We can’t just be naïve and turn up the volume and then get caught on the break. We have to manage it, slow it down and wind down the clock,” Mosimane said.
He continued: “The Champions League is awkward, you think you have the points but you don’t until the game is finally over.
“It is not like in the PSL. Normally with the PSL, when you are 2-0 up, it’s almost done but in the Champions League you are not done, you have to kill off the game but you need experience.”
