The Brazilians face the possibility of failing to reach the quarter-finals of Africa's premier club competition as they struggle, the latest being dropping points in Lubumbashi. However, their Portuguese coach blames their opponents for employing some dirty tactics to deny them victory.
The draw complicates Masandawana's dream of reaching the last eight and puts more pressure on head coach Miguel Cardoso. This was the third straight match where Downs dropped points after a defeat and a draw against Al Hilal in the previous two games. Should the Pretoria giants fail to advance, they will be considered architects of their own downfall, given the inconsistency in performance that they have shown.
The Soweto outfits ended the week on the back foot following disappointing results in their respective Sunday morning fixtures. The Buccaneers were forced to settle for a single point, while Amakhosi suffered a heavy defeat in a five-goal encounter that compounded their struggles.
Masandawana could register a double against their continental rivals as they are set to clash on Sunday for their fifth game in the group. The first encounter between the two ended in a 3-1 win over the Premier Soccer League giants, who recently dropped points against Al Hilal. Given that the four teams in Group C all have fairly high chances of reaching the knockout stage, it makes the match even more crucial for both sides.
Masandawana will face the DR Congo outfit in a match that has high stakes as far as their fate in the continental competition is concerned. Already, Downs have fallen down on the standings after Rhulani Mokwena's MC Alger beat Al Hilal, which means their situation is more complicated even before they kick the ball for their fifth group stage game.
Unrelenting Masandawana grinded yet another positive outcome as they try as hard as possible to close in on their title rivals. As Downs registered another victory, it was another good day for a South African star who is in good scoring form. With Pirates and Sundowns engaged in a tight battle for the title, the defending champions, Kaizer Chiefs, languish in the fifth position.
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