Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says his side are destined to win the African Football League.
The Brazilians are 2-1 down to Morocco’s Wydad AC from the first leg of the inaugural final.
Anas Serhat netted a 78th minute winner in the first leg after Abdelmounaim Boutouil’s 74th minute penalty cancelled out a 41st minute own-goal from Rivaldo Coetzee.
But ahead of Sunday’s encounter, Mokwena is adamant his side can claim a 1-0 win needed to lift the trophy, after scoring an all-important away goal last time out.
Mokwena said on iDiski times: “Let me explain that, after I arrived back at Sundowns, the first Champions League exit was a quarter-final to Al Ahly, the second season was a quarter-final exit to Petro and last season was Wydad in the semi-final.
'Luck is when preparation meets opportunity,' - Rulani Mokwena ahead of AFL final 2nd leg against Wydad Casablanca. pic.twitter.com/cIqCfKpHao
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) November 12, 2023
“And so the story written this year, we start with Petro, the team who knocked us out of the quarter-final, then Al Ahly, a foe who knocked us out the season before that. And then last season was Wydad and just because it’s written in the stars, it doesn’t mean the stars are aligned
“Our responsibility now is to align the stars, and that’s the message, it’s written in the stars but you still got to work for it, you still have to look for it. It’s the same thing with rain, just because there’s clouds doesn’t mean it’s going to rain.
“There’s no handouts in life you have to work hard to achieve and that’s the message, the players know. we work very hard – it’s what this group deserves, to be continental champions due to the amount of work they put in.”
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena and Wydad Casablanca counterpart Adil Ramzi pose with AFL trophy. pic.twitter.com/LceI4uT7qu
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) November 10, 2023
