CAFCL: Sundowns not conceding leaves Al Ahly return leg tie still open – Onyango

Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns Media.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango believes they still stand a chance to qualify for the final of the CAF Champions League despite their 0-0 draw against Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday.

The Brazilians failed to break down the African champions in the first leg semi-final contest and only managed a single shot on target throughout the game. They will now face a tall order of beating the North Africans at their home soil when they face off in the return leg.

However, the retired Ugandan custodian insists the game is still open with Sundowns not conceding in the first leg. "It wasn't a very bad game, but it also wasn't a very good game from our side – I believe the fact that we did not concede leaves [the tie] open because we know we can score and we've won in Cairo before," said Onyango as quoted by SABC Sports.

"So it's still open for anyone, but the goal is to go to the final and everyone is looking forward – of course, we would have made it difficult for them by scoring a goal at home, but it was not meant to be.

“They had a very compact five at the back and they were closing the midfield so, for me, I think it will be more open in Cairo than it was here in Pretoria.”

On the return of Themba Zwane, Onyango said: “It was very good [to see Zwane back], you could see the stadium was up, he's the captain of the team and it was very good to have him back on the field after a very long time.

“He's very influential to the team and the youngsters love him, the country loves him, and the team loves him – when he's on the pitch, things happen, he looks after the ball and looks for the [key] passes. So we hope that he gets the match fitness he needs and helps the team towards the end of the season.”

The return leg will be played on Friday at Cairo International Stadium.