Mamelodi Sundowns, the esteemed South African football club, have encountered significant disruptions in their preparations for the highly anticipated second leg of the CAF Champions League final against AS FAR. The team was scheduled to depart for Morocco on Tuesday morning, but their plans were thwarted when they were denied a landing permit by the aviation authorities in Morocco. This unexpected setback has resulted in the loss of an entire day of training, which is crucial for the players as they gear up for the decisive match set to take place in Rabat on Sunday.
The situation has sparked accusations of gamesmanship from the Moroccan side, as the delay means that Sundowns will have diminished time to acclimatize to the local conditions ahead of the critical encounter. Currently, Sundowns hold a narrow advantage going into the second leg, having secured a 1-0 victory in Pretoria, thanks to a solitary goal from defender Aubrey Modiba. However, that match was overshadowed by incidents of crowd violence and issues with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, adding further tension to the upcoming fixture.
After spending several hours at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday morning and with no flight in sight, the players were compelled to return home. In response to this predicament, club officials are working diligently to ensure that a chartered flight is arranged to depart on Wednesday morning, allowing the team to reach Morocco in time for their crucial match.
As reported by timeslive.co.za.
