Tshabalala draws positives from international experience ahead of continental title defence

Despite not partaking in the ongoing COSAFA zonal qualifiers of the CAF Women’s Champions League in Malawi, title holders Mamelodi Sundowns have had their mettle tested outside of home, after coming back from an international women’s club competition as one of the invitational sides.

The two-time African champions were in action at the Women’s Cup tournament played in Kansas City in the USA, where they played against tournament hosts, Kansas City Current as well as Inac Kobe FC (Japan).

Sundowns suffered a 3-0 defeat to the hosts, before going down 2-0 to Inac Kobe FC on Sunday in a result that ended their campaign.

Despite the result, a lot of positives have been drawn from the international experience according to coach Jerry Tshabalala, who says such experiences will be key in improving and maintaining their dominance back home and on the continent.

“You know, playing against Kansas City Current and INAC Kobe was a game-changer for us because it pushed us beyond our comfort zone and showed us where we needed to improve. Competing against teams of this calibre highlighted both our strengths and areas that needed fine-tuning. One such area is in our defensive organization. The pace and precision of our opponents exposed gaps that we need to address if we are to maintain our dominance back home and, on the continent,” said an optimistic Tshabalala.

The challenging experience for Sundowns will further fuel their passion to compete at the highest level according to the coach, who added that competing against high calibre clubs is crucial for their growth.

“We are heading back home with a burning desire to have this kind of exposure more frequently to enable us to keep pace with the top teams globally. Competing against high-calibre opponents is crucial for our growth, and it is the only way we can truly measure ourselves against the best. These experiences not only challenge us but also inspire us to elevate our game and continue improving”, concluded Tshabalala.

The reigning African champions will now shift focus to their domestic campaign, where they will be looking at fine-tuning their CAF Women’s Champions League title defense later this year.

Sundowns Ladies won their second CAF Women’s Champions League title after defeating Morocco’s SC Casablanca 3-0 in the final played in Cote d’Ivoire last season.