Perennial South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns will get their FIFA Club World Cup campaign up and running when they take on South Korean outfit Ulsan HD in Orlando, Florida.
South African fans who want to watch the game will have to stay up well into the early hours of Wednesday morning, as the game kicks off at midnight.
And for Sundowns’ goalkeeper coach Kennedy Mweene, it’s up to the team to show they are there to compete and not just make up the numbers.
Mweene was part of the Sundowns squad during the Club World Cup in 2016. Back then, the Pitso Mosimane-coached team were out of their depth and were knocked out of the main competition by Japan’s Kashima Antlers following a 2-0 loss.
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And in the fifth-place play-off three days later, Sundowns were blown away by South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to complete a forgettable tournament in Japan.
But Mweene, now a member of the club’s technical staff, is a little more confident going into this year’s competition in the United States.
“The team has been growing in leaps and bounds,” Mweene was quoted by KickOff in the lead-up to their opening match.
“With four teams, it gives us a chance as Africa as well, even though we are still crying about the number,” said the 40-year-old.
“Nevertheless, I think we just have to go and show our case… We know that it won’t be easy. It is a high-profile tournament, and everyone knows what we are going there to do.
“It won’t be easy, but we have to showcase our talent in South Africa and Africa at large.”
Abafana baStyle are also in Group F alongside German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund as well as Brazilian club Fluminense.
Dortmund qualified for the competition as the third-best ranked eligible team in the UEFA four-year ranking, and will be a tough prospect for Miguel Cardoso’s men, while Fluminense won the 2023 Copa Libertadores, and will be no walk in the park.
Sundowns’ game against Dortmund is this Saturday in Cincinnati, and they round up the group stage when they take on Fluminense at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium next Wednesday.
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