Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play against Edouard Mendy, who represents Al Ahli Saudi in the Intercontinental Cup. This match will take place on Saturday at Loftus Stadium.
Williams is pleased about the chance to face long-time admirer Edouard Mendy, and in the future, the team might encounter giants like Paris Saint-Germain. Mamelodi Sundowns will host Al Ahli Saudi at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday at 3:00 PM.
Mendy is one of many notable players in Al-Ahli's squad, but it is the former Chelsea goalkeeper who has drawn Williams' particular attention. Williams told the club's media department that given that the opponents are two-time Asian champions, they face a very difficult task.
He noted that the opposing team includes many players who participated in the World Cup, including Merih Demiral from Turkey, Roger Ibáñez from Brazil, Ivan Toni from England, and Edouard Mendy, whose career Williams knows well from observing his achievements with Senegal.
Williams added that he would be delighted to finally play against Mendy, as he has not had such an opportunity before, and emphasized that this is a team with many experienced and high-class players.
This match represents another serious test for Sundowns, who qualified for the Intercontinental Cup after winning the CAF Champions League last season. Al-Ahli earned the right to meet African champions by defeating Auckland FC 1-0 in the Africa-Asia-Pacific preliminary round.
The winner of Saturday's match will advance to the next stage of the competition, where they will face the winner of the FIFA Copa América Final for a spot in the Champions Cup. This path could potentially lead Sundowns to a final confrontation with European champions and the reigning Intercontinental Cup holders, PSG.
Although the prospect of facing major global football clubs adds a dimension to Sundowns' campaign, Williams insists that their immediate priority remains the game against Al-Ahli. He reiterated that the match will be extremely tough because the opponents are two-time Asian champions.
Furthermore, Sundowns draw confidence from a strong start to their domestic season, demonstrating excellent results in both the Betway Premiership and MTN8. They have already secured a spot in the MTN8 final and continue to dominate the league.
Williams stressed the importance of a positive start to the season, noting that they achieved this by showing outstanding results in the league and in MTN8, where they are in the final. However, before dreams of PSG become reality, Sundowns must first overcome the internationally experienced Al-Ahli team. For Williams, an additional motivation is the chance to play against a goalkeeper whose career he has closely followed.