Exclusive I Thabo Nthethe backs Sundowns to start Caf Champions League campaign in style

Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender and captain Thabo Nthethe is tipping his former side to correct Orlando Pirates' mistake against St Eloi Lupopo whom they face in their opening Caf Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.

It is nothing short of a coincidence that Sundowns open with Lupopo, the Democratic Republic of Congo side that eliminated Pirates - the Brazilians' closest domestic rivals - in the final preliminary stages.

Nthethe, a key figure in Sundowns’ historic 2016 Champions League triumph, expects a demanding battle in the opener but remains confident that his former club have enough quality to stamp their superiority.

“It’s going to be a tough encounter for Sundowns,” Nthethe told Independent Newspapers.

“But I definitely know that they will do their homework against Lupopo to kick things off positively, to try and achieve better results as they aim to go one better than the final from last season.

“This team will know a lot about Sundowns because for the last couple of seasons, Sundowns have been playing this competition regularly, and heading into this match, they will have a better chance at winning.”

Sundowns have successfully progressed beyond the group stages in each of their last six attempts, having last fallen short at this phase in 2018—two seasons after lifting the coveted continental title in 2016.

Since that triumph, every campaign has carried renewed hope, strengthened further by the club’s relentless investment not only to dominate domestically but also to establish themselves as a true powerhouse on the African continent.

While their reputation across Africa is undeniable, Sundowns know that status means little without the silverware to back it up, making the quest to reclaim the Champions League increasingly urgent.

Last season, Taher Mohamed handed Al Ahly the lead in the second leg of their semi-final before a Yasser Ibrahim own goal brought Sundowns level and secured their place in only their second final since 2016, with the first leg having played out to a goalless draw. 

With Pyramids FC—fresh off a shock 3-2 aggregate victory over Orlando Pirates—awaiting them, the stars seemed aligned for Sundowns, facing up against an inexperienced Egyptian side. Yet Pyramids went on to clinch their first continental crown, leaving the South African side to restart their journey yet again this weekend.

Lupopo reached this stage by eliminating one of the tournament favourites, Orlando Pirates, winning 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw. Like Pirates, the Brazilians will enter the fixture as favorites—but as recent history has shown, nothing is guaranteed at this level.

Nthethe added that although the Chloorkop-based side have faced several domestic challenges at the start of this campaign, their superior quality should give them an edge as they look to generate early momentum.

“Their domestic season has not started well, and we know that they want to win the Champions League, but it will not be an easy opening match for them.

“We saw this team when they played against Orlando Pirates, but Sundowns should come out on top because they have been doing this for some time now, and it will be a question of them and what margin of goals they can win by. The experience they have will definitely see them come out on top.”