Mosimane rues Ahly’s missed chances against Sundowns, calls on CAF to apply VAR

Ahmed Abd El Rasoul , Sunday 27 Feb 2022

Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane rued his team’s missed scoring chances in Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, renewing his call to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to implement the VAR in the group stage of the African Champions League.

Mosimane
Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane during the training Friday 25 February, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ahly Facebook page.

The Sundowns secured their first ever victory against Ahly in Cairo in the third round of the Champions League Group Stage.

“We wasted many scoring chances, and we feel sad for the loss. I can’t blame the players, as they delivered their best against the Sundowns,” the Ahly coach said in the press conference after the game.

“We are now in a very difficult situation, and we have to walk this difficult road to qualify for the next round,” the South African coach added.

Mamelodi Sundowns currently lead Group A with seven points after three games while Ahly are third with a single point after two games, as they still have a match in hand against Sudan’s Al-Merreikh.

“I would like to congratulate Sundowns for the victory. It is a frustrating thing that you receive a goal from a single chance after putting your opponent under big pressure throughout the whole match,” Mosimane said.

Earlier in February, Ahly opened their group stage campaign with a goalless draw against Sudan’s Al-Hilal; a game that was followed by a call from Mosimane to the African football governing body to apply the Video Assistant Referee system (VAR) that is scheduled to be used from the quarter-final.

The 57-year-old coach renewed his request to the CAF to apply the VAR in preliminary rounds of the prestigious continental tournament, especially after his South African forward, Percy Tau, was denied a goal for a marginal offside.

“I am asking the CAF to apply the VAR in the Group stage. I feel that the Sundowns’ keeper touched the ball from outside the box and also I believe that Tau’s goal was a correct one,” the Ahly coach added.

“Being away from scoring in two successive games puts us under more pressure; we should try to beat Sundowns in South Africa, and it is possible.”

Ahly will play Al-Merreikh on Saturday in their rescheduled game.

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