Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena said his side can bounce back from their loss to Petro Atletico in Angola in the African Champions League quarter-final.
Having lost Saturday’s first leg 2-1, Mokwena assured Sundowns supporters that their hopes of repeating their 2016 success are not over.
“It reminds us that we are not invincible, but in a very humble way we accept the lesson and we move on,” Mokwena said.
“Now it’s to recover the team, watch the game over again, do the corrections and prepare for the second leg, but we will be in the semi-final,” he added.
The defeat was Sundowns’ first in the African Champions League this season, with the return leg next Saturday.
Angola’s most decorated club Petro Atletico had to come from behind to edge past the South African champions in Luanda.
The visitors took an early lead from Lyle Lakay’s deflected free-kick, but Brazilian Tiago Azulao netted the equaliser in the 16th minute with a close-range volley.
Sundowns were made to pay for their profligacy on the stroke of half-time as Adriano Yano tapped home to make it 2-1 after goalkeeper Denis Onyango and two defenders had failed to deal with a flick.
Unbeaten in this season’s competition, Sundowns thought they had claimed a late equaliser, but Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe ruled it out after a VAR review.
Petro also slotted home what they thought was a third, but the video assistant referee ruled it out.
