There’s little room for error in the Champions League, says Sundowns’ Manqoba Mngqithi

Johannesburg — According to Mamelodi Sundowns’ co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi, there are very small margins that separate the domestic league from continental football.

That's why, Mngqithi said, they know that they have to approach the two competitions with caution.

Sundowns have been in cruise control in the DStv Premiership. They are at the top of the league with 47 points, 17 ahead of the second-placed Orlando Pirates. They also reached the Nedbank Cup last 16 after beating Richards Bay 4 - 0.

However, they’ll turn their focus to the opening round of the CAF Champions League group stage when they host Al Hilal at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium tonight (6pm). But do not expect the Brazilians to take this match for granted though.

That they’ve been firing from all cylinders and solid in domestic football after scoring 35 and breaching nine goals in the league is notwithstanding. Africa is a jungle. And that’s why even the powerhouses have succumbed to minnows as well.

“The main difference between the Champions League and the (local) league is usually not football as such. It’s just margins,” Mngqithi said. “In the Champions League, there’s very little room for error as compared to the local league.

“The strange part is that you play teams that are not 'big' in the Champions League but I would not know whether it’s a question of quality or what. When we played Maniema, we made two mistakes in the match and they scored two goals.”

Mnggithi added: “In the PSL, sometimes, you make too many mistakes and you don’t get punished. And that for me is not what happens a lot in the Champions League. There's very little room for error there, because errors are punishable.”

Teams playing in the Champions League come from all parts of the