Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rolani Mokwena is optimistic that his side will overturn the first leg result when they meet Angolan side Petro du Luanda in the return leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinal in Pretoria this Saturday.
The Masandawana lost opening leg to the Angolan champions 2-1 away at Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda on Saturday.
Sundowns broke the deadlock less than 10 minutes on the clock from Lyle Lakay’s free kick but before Brazilian Tiago Azulao netted the equaliser in the 16th minute before Adriano Yano tapped home second goal on the stroke of half-time.
“It reminds us that we are not invincible, but in a very humble way we accept the lesson and we move on,” Molwena told the club website.
“Now it’s to recover the team, bring the body back and get back to South Africa safe, watch the game over again, do the corrections and prepare for the second leg, but we will be in the semi-final.”
The former Orlando Pirates tactician admitted his charges didn’t play well against Petro du Luanda in the first half.
“ We disappointed in the display in the first half – lacking aggression, lacking intensity, but we showed that we are much better than our first half performance in the second half,” he said.
“We created more goal scoring opportunities, had more final third opportunities, dominated the ball a little bit more, dominated the field a little bit more by pressing the line a little bit higher and trying to press from the top a little bit better.”
Mamelodi Sundowns will host Petro de Luanda on Saturday, 23 April, for the second leg of the quarter-final at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg
