Mamelodi SundownsFriday afternoon will see PSL giants Mamelodi Sundowns take on Saudi Arabia outfit Al Hilal in a highly anticipated and thrilling encounter.
Sundowns kicked off their tour in Austria with a match against German side Sandhausen, who beat them 2-1 as Neo Maema netted the Brazilians' sole goal.
To be fair, pre-season results don't count much but the fact that the Premier Soccer League champions have relatively struggled in their friendlies is something that will deal a blow to the confidence of the team ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Following the sudden departure of head coach Rhulani Mokwena, who has now joined Wydad Casablanca, Masandawana is currently undergoing a phase of transition as they restructure their technical team.
Manqoba Mngqithi's role is still unclear, even though word has it that he will be installed as the head coach. Meanwhile, Steve Komphela returned to the club as a senior coach while Romain Folz was introduced as an assistant coach.
Komphela acknowledged that the upcoming season will be challenging for the 2016 Caf Champions League champions, which may explain the difficulties they have faced in their recent friendly matches. Sundowns has brought in several new players including Kobamelo Kodisang, Kegan Johannes, and Arthur de Oliveira Sales.
Here, GOAL looks at the enticing friendly match between Sundowns and Hilal, and who is likely to be key in the affair that is set to take place on Friday, July 26.
