Photo Courtesy AS FAR Media.
AS FAR head coach Jamil Benouahi has discussed their final Caf Champions League fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday.
Heading into the final group fixture, the Brazilians will need a draw to qualify against a side, who have already booked their place in the knock out stages of the lucrative competition.
According to Benouahi, they have respect for Sundowns because of what they have done for the last ten years in Africa but they will go into the match with the same ambition they had from the beginning of the campaign.
“From our side we are already in the quarter-final and if there is any kind of pressure, it’s on Mamelodi Sundowns but we know very well how great this team is and how big it is,” Benouahi said as quoted by CAFOnline.com.
“We know what they have done for the last ten years in Africa. We are coming into this encounter with the same ambition we had at the beginning of this campaign. We start first on the group and we are aiming to finish first on the group.”
AS FAR player Tumisang Orebonye echoed the coach’s sentiments by saying: “We are coming into the game knowing that Sundowns is a very good club, they have shown in the last years that they are a good club and as AS FAR players, we have come here with positive minds to want to finish as leaders of the group. We know that it is going to be difficult but we have to execute what we have been doing at training.”
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso said ahead of the game: “Obviously a tremendous match, a match that everybody wants to play. We worked very well during the week - something we have not been able to do because of a tight game schedule.
“We tried to prepare ourselves in the best way, recover the players in the best way and get the best condition as possible to face the game in terms of physical condition, tactical approach and strategical approach of the game.
“Everything is on the table and it’s now time for the last details to come to the game with the energy so we can get the results that will make us go through the group stages.”
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