Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies head coach Jerry Tshabalala admits that the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League campaign brought tough lessons for his side after their group stage elimination.
The two-time winners of the prestigious event came into this year’s edition as defending champions but lost to rookie outfits FC Masar in the Group B opener and dramatically to Edo Queens in the decider on Saturday night.
The Hollywoodbets Super League champions led for the majority of that game against the Nigerian Queens in Casablanca and let a knockout phase spot slip through their fingers conceding two goals in injury time to bow out.
Tshabalala admitted his side was disappointing on the night and that the Queens wanted the win more.
“A disappointing performance from the team but I think first half we executed the plan very well,” said Tshabalala after the game.
“We pressed them very high in terms of not allowing them any space on the ball and it worked out for us, we even got a goal out of that plan.
“I think the last 10 minutes of the first half, we took the foot off the pedal. We gave them too much respect. We were no longer winning second balls.
“Second half, when we came back, I spoke to the girls I said look as much as we are leading, we’ve got to manage the game better, and the only way to manage the game better, it’s to play closer to one another and don’t try to lose the ball as much as possible.
“But unfortunately, Edo Queens they showed character, they showed that they wanted it more. I think we ended up defending too deep and we even tried to adjust tactically in terms of the system that we play maybe let’s see if we can have four at the back and five in the middle and remain with one striker. But it wasn’t to be.”
The coach added that Sundowns have learned to take things seriously from the very beginning.
“The key lesson learned from the tournament is that from the word go we’ve got to take the tournament very, very seriously,” added Tshabalala.
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“We’ve got to be aggressive in terms of how we approach our games. I think that’s one of the lessons as a team that we’ve learned to say tournament games are a bit different from the league.
“You only got one chance to make it count, if you don’t make it count from the word go then you’re putting yourself under pressure.”
