Kanalelo warns Sundowns remain dangerous despite Champions League exit

Marumo Gallants head coach Ronnie Kanalelo says Mamelodi Sundowns’ early CAF Champions League elimination may have created an opportunity for his side, but warned that the Brazilians remain a formidable opponent.

Sundowns were knocked out before the group stage of Africa’s leading club competition, a result head coach Miguel Cardoso described as a “failure” last Friday. The defending champions’ disappointment has left questions over how they will respond as their attention turns to domestic football.

Kanalelo, however, rejected the idea that Gallants had necessarily encountered Sundowns at the ideal moment.

He said the setback could either work in Gallants’ favour or provide Sundowns with added motivation to produce a strong performance and begin rebuilding their confidence on the field.

“It could be the right time, it could be a wrong time, are they disappointed, are they sad? Sundowns are very much sad… to be out of the Champions League, it could have been an advantage for us, but it could have been a different opportunity for them for winning this competition,” he said.

Sundowns also made several changes to their line-up, but Kanalelo said the depth and quality within their squad made it impossible to judge whether those alterations represented a weakness.

“They made many changes and when they make changes with the quality they have, you have players that are trying to place themselves in the squad – you can’t say it’s a right or wrong time. The quality is good and they are very strong,” he added.

The Gallants manager said Sundowns had previously dealt with setbacks and would know how to respond to the frustration of missing out on the Champions League.

His own team’s task, he explained, was to discover whether the continental exit had affected the hosts while ensuring Gallants performed to their maximum.

“They have suffered before, it’s not the first time, but we also wanted to see how badly they had been affected, we gave our best – it tells you they didn’t take us for granted.”

Gallants secured their first victory of the season on Friday, beating Siwelele FC 3-2. The result lifted them from the bottom of the table and gave them the chance to build momentum when they face Golden Arrows.

Kanalelo’s side will be seeking a second consecutive win before the next FIFA international break. Their victory over Siwelele FC ended a difficult start to the campaign, but the manager’s comments underline the scale of the challenge posed by Sundowns, regardless of their continental disappointment.