The Brazilians can afford to lose and still be crowned Caf Champions League champions, but Mosimane has promised to take the game to Zamalek
Mamelodi Sundowns are expected to be crowned Caf Champions League champions at the end of the second leg match against Zamalek in Alexandria on Sunday night.
The Brazilians go into the encounter with a healthy 3-0 lead from the first leg, but they will have to guard against complacency, especially with Zamalek more than capable of overturning the deficit.
Pitso Mosimane’s charges were denied the opportunity to train upon their arrival in Egypt, and this may somehow have affected their preparations for the encounter.
However, football fans in South Africa and some parts of Egypt where Zamalek are not popular, expect Sundowns to finish off the job and become the only second Premier Soccer League club to win the trophy after Orlando Pirates in1995.
Sundowns and Zamalek have met three times in this year’s competition already, with the Tshwane giants winning all three matches on their way to the final.
Anthony Laffor will again be the man to watch having played a huge role in his team’s last two games. He has scored two goals in as many matches for the Brazilians.
Percy Tau as well as the midfield duo of Hlompho Kekana and Tiyani Mabunda are also expected to mesmerized Zamalek from the middle of the park into the final third.
Zamalek on the other hand, have goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shenawy to pin their hopes on to make sure that they don’t concede on the day, but with the Egyptians in need of at least three goals to force the game to penalties, all eyes will be on the likes Ayman Hefny, Shikabala as well as Mohamed Ibrahim.
The Egyptians are targeting their sixth Caf Champions League crown, while Sundowns have not laid their hands on the trophy in the 46 years of their existence.
Mosimane is on course to become the only South African coach to win the trophy, and he surely has no reason to let that opportunity slip through his fingers on Sunday.
Looking at the permutations for this second leg encounter, Zamalek need to win four clear goals to claim the title, while a draw or even 2-0 defeat would still do for Mosimane’s troops.