Tunisian giants Esperance stand in the way of Mamelodi Sundowns' third Caf Champions League final as they need to overturn a 1-0 score-line tonight at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Sundowns play the four-time Champions League winners in the second-leg semi-final in Pretoria, kick-off is at 20:00.
Downs goalie, Ronwen Williams, who has established himself as a revered penalty stopper, would rather avoid going to a shoot-out, as a 1-0 win by Sundowns will see the tie decided through the lottery of penalties.
“I hope we can wrap the game up in 90 minutes, that’s the plan and that’s what we have been preparing for. We don’t want to go to penalties again, it brings so much stress to the coach and the technical team, the coach and the players,” said Williams.
“There is no pressure on the goalkeepers, we just enjoy it. But if we do go to penalties, we are confident as a team because we won the last two. The confidence is high in myself and the kickers.
“It is not easy but the kickers have been amazing but it’s not easy at this stage of the competition. If we go to penalties, [fans must] boo them when it is their time to kick, because that is what they do to us, they make it hostile,” he added.
Meanwhile, Williams has asked fans of Sundowns’ local rivals to – at least for one day – take off the garments of their favourite teams and lend their support to Masandawana.
“I would urge the Masandawana nation and South Africa as a whole to get behind us. Not only the yellow nation – we need everyone. Let us do it for South African football because we are up there now with the best.
“Let Sundowns go all the way with your support because we are going to uplift South African football like we did at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, we set the bar very high. Let South Africa as a whole to get behind Sundowns for one day. If you can put your [favourite] clubs aside and support the team.
“We need you, we are not just doing it for ourselves but we are doing it for the next generation to come so that they can also have something to look forward to and dream big.
“When I came to the scene I dreamt of winning the league and the Nedbank Cup, but now I am dreaming of winning the Champions League and the Afcon,” said Wiliams.
🚨𝙂 𝘼 𝙈 𝙀 𝘿 𝘼 𝙔🚨
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) April 26, 2024
🆚 ES Tunis
⏰ 20H00
🏟 Loftus Versfeld Stadium
📺 SABC3#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/eG8JsMEQOK
