Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango says the way Al Ahly set themselves up in the first leg semi-final in South Africa was a sign of respect but he remains confident they can get the job done in Cairo this week.
Sundowns failed to register a single shot on target in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday and traveled on Tuesday to Egypt ahead of the highly anticipated fixture at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday evening.
“I think it wasn’t a very bad game but also wasn’t a very good game from our side, I believe the moment we did not concede, it leaves the game open, we know we can score, we have won in Cairo before, and it’s still open for everyone,” Onyango said.
“The goal is to go to the final and everyone is looking forward. Of course we would have made it difficult by scoring at home but it was not meant to be.
“They were very compact, five at the back and closing the midfield, so I think it will be more open in Cairo then it was in Pretoria.”
Onyango, who was part of the 2016 squad that won their first star for Masandawana, believes that the reigning champions’ previous heavy defeats played a major role in their pragmatic approach to the game in Tshwane.
“Of course there’s a little bit of disappointment because we’re used to winning at home, normally we score the goals at home but today we didn’t have a shot on goal, but they were disciplined, the knew if they opened up the game, we’d come to them,” he said.
“But we hope they open the game in Cairo and it makes it easier for us. But very difficult team, they wouldn’t have loved to have lost away from home again but we hope for the best, we still have a chance and have the quality to qualify [for the final].
“They played with five at the back, consolidated, playing on the counter, it shows the respect the game, they got five before here, not once but twice, but they were very organised, they are quality, the defending champions so they were careful they way they played and showed their experience.”
