Ronwen Williams expects tough FIFA Continental Cup test for Mamelodi Sundowns against Al-Ahli

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams says Al-Ahli’s strong squad reflects the growing quality of the Saudi Arabian league, as the South African side prepare for a demanding FIFA Continental Cup meeting on Saturday.

The teams will meet at Loftus Stadium in the afternoon, with Al-Ahli able to call on captain and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and England international Ivan Toney.

Williams believes the calibre of Al-Ahli’s players will make the match a closely fought contest, with Sundowns expecting a serious challenge from the Saudi club.

“When you look at the World Cup and see the representation the league has had, it speaks volumes about the league, the number of players they are recruiting, high-quality players, players of stature, legendary players as well,” Williams said.

“So it shows that the league is improving; it’s getting better, and we know it’s going to be a very difficult game.”

The Bafana Bafana captain also highlighted several other Al-Ahli players who have represented their countries at the FIFA World Cup, while speaking warmly about Mendy’s career.

“You know, there are so many guys who were at the World Cup. Demiral played for Turkey, Ibanez with Brazil, and obviously, as you mentioned, Ivan Toney, Mendy as well,” Williams said.

“He’s someone that I know quite well, having watched his career and seen him achieve amazing things with Senegal. So it will be good to finally face him.”

Williams said Sundowns had identified similarities between themselves and Al-Ahli after studying the Saudi club’s performances in recent fixtures this season.

The Brazilians also have previous experience of facing Saudi opposition. During their tour of Europe, they played Al Hilal, another team from Saudi Arabia, and Williams believes that encounter could provide useful preparation ahead of Saturday’s game.

Sundowns will therefore draw on what they learned from that meeting as they aim to cope with Al-Ahli’s quality and the experience within their squad.

Williams’ assessment comes as the Saudi Arabian league continues to attract high-profile and internationally recognised players, a trend he says has been reflected by the competition’s representation at the recent FIFA World Cup.

For Sundowns, the immediate task is to turn their understanding of Al-Ahli’s strengths into a performance capable of securing progress in the FIFA Continental Cup.