Why Sundowns win still haunts Wydad Casablanca
It has emerged that Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent heroics left scars of permanence on Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent 3-2 aggregate win over Wydad Casablanca still haunts the Moroccans, their coach Adel Ramzi has admitted. Ramzi made the admission after his side’s 0-1 loss to Jwaneng Galaxy on November 25 2023.
ALSO READ: How much money did Mamelodi Sundowns earn from AFL?
HOW SUNDOWNS COACH MOKWENA WAS EMULATED TO STUN WYDAD
Galaxy’s South African coach Morena Ramorebolli emulated his Sundowns’ compatriot Rulani Mokoena. The Bafana B team coach added salt to the wounds of the Casablanca-based side. The Botswana Premier League champions beat Wydad in the CAF Champions League Group B match. Thabang Sesinyi scored the only goal of the game for Galaxy in the 33rd minute to stun the hosts. Now, Galaxy top the table with three points whereas the Moroccans sit rock-bottom bottom without a point.
ALSO READ: Why Sundowns outpass everyone
HOW SUNDOWNS’ WIN STILL AFFECTS THE MOROCCANS
Ramzi attributed the loss to the previous game against Sundowns. He said Wydad players were yet to recover from the African Football League (AFL) loss to Sundowns. During the AFL final first leg match, all earlier seemed well for the Moroccans. They beat the DStv Premier League holders 2-1 in Morocco. However, Sundowns turned the tide to win the final second-leg match 2-0 in Pretoria and, with it, the inaugural AFL title. Loftus Versfeld Stadium hosted the final second-leg match on November 12 2023.
That Sundowns’ result still weighs heavily on the minds of Wydad players, Ramzi said. “I will admit to you that I am frustrated and upset,” CAF website quotes Ramzi saying in a post-match interview. “I say I am sorry. I feel that the team’s players have still not recovered from the disappointment of the African League so far. And they no longer have the same hunger as before.”
WHAT WYDAD COACH SAID ABOUT DEFEAT
ALSO READ: TRAGIC! Former Pirates defender Papi Khomane and mother die in a car accident
The Wydad coach added: “We made a mistake for which we paid heavily. We lost because the performance was not as it should have been.”
He hopes Wydad can bounce back from the setback when they meet ASEC Mimosa of Ivory Coast over the weekend. The sooner Wydad shakes off the Sundowns’ nightmare, the better. Galaxy takes on Simba from Tanzania on the same weekend. Ramzi said: “Morale is at rock bottom, but time is not enough for us because we have strong matches waiting for us: the League Clasico and the ASEC match. I will look to see who is mentally prepared for these matches.”
ALSO READ: Rhulani not happy with Bafana over Modiba
WHAT NEXT NOW IN THE CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?
For Galaxy, it was their first win in the group stage of the Champions League in the second attempt. After the match in Morocco, controversy marred a press conference on Saturday night. Ramorebolli stormed out of the press conference after accusing the media of disrespecting him. The Bafana B team coach was unhappy that one of the reporters suggested that Juju was behind Galaxy’s surprise win. Meanwhile, Sundowns are still doing well in the Champions League. The Pretoria-based side thrashed Nouadhbou 3-0 on Sunday.