Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has praised the Confederation of African Football and president for the African Football League.
The AFL becomes the third African club competition on the continent after the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup.
Mokwena highly praised the CAF leadership for this new initiative, stating that clubs will benefit a lot from the competition, and it will help the African football to grow.
“On African Football League, I think it’s exciting times for African Football,” Mokwena told the media in Angola ahead of their opener against Petro de Luanda.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative and importantly a lot of praise, credit needs to go the CAF leadership, the board and in particular Dr Patrice Motsepe because the objectives of the competition are very clear.
“It is aiming to uplift the standard of African football, not just at professional level but also within the youth structures and all members of associations, not just clubs but all members of the associations CAF will get to benefit from the initiative and from the tournament.
“Ours, as Mamelodi Sundowns is just to appreciate the opportunity and be humbled by the fact that we get to participate in inaugural competition and once again to represent our country South Africa on the continental stage.”
After back-to-back losses in penalty shootouts in the MTN8 final and the Carling Knockout Cup last 16, Mokwena and his men will face Petro in the quarter-final first leg of the AFL at 17:30 on Saturday.
