Saint Eloi Lupopo Coach Places Mamelodi Sundowns Ahead of Orlando Pirates in Striking Assessment

Yassine Salmi subtly compared Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates after their CAF Champions League opener, hinting that one side clearly stood out.

Saint Eloi Lupopo's assistant coach, Yassine Salmi, has lauded Mamelodi Sundowns for their great hospitality compared to Orlando Pirates.

The coach also firmly rejected claims that the team is overly reliant on star defender Mukoko Amale following their 3-1 defeat to the South African giants on Saturday.

Saint Eloi Lupopo was outplayed in their CAF Champions League Group C opener at Loftus Versfeld, a match they contested without the suspended Mukoko Amale, who is serving a two-game ban.

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New signing Nuno Santos was the star of the show, scoring a brace, while Marcelo Allende also found the net.

Mamelodi Sundowns, who were finalists in last season's competition, controlled the match from start to finish, showcasing their superior quality.

Saint Eloi Lupopo: Mamelodi Sundowns Treated Us Well Compared to Orlando Pirates

Speaking after the match, Yassine Salmi highlighted the warm reception his team received, contrasting it with a previous trip to South Africa to face Orlando Pirates earlier in the competition.

"The hospitality here was excellent," he said as quoted by SABC Sport. "With all due respect, comparing our experience with Pirates to this one with Sundowns, all I can say is thank you to Sundowns for their hospitality."

He also lauded Mamelodi Sundowns as a ‘European team’ following their impressive start to the CAF Champions League group stage.

"I don’t see a difference between Sundowns and teams in Europe," said Salmi. "It is very difficult to play against Sundowns; it is like 50 Brazilians and 50 Europeans. If CAF teams have to play Sundowns, then they have to pay attention because it is a big name."

Mamelodi Sundowns fielded a strong lineup against Saint Eloi Lupopo, determined to secure a win that would bolster their chances of topping the group.

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Saint Eloi Lupopo: I Cannot Single Out Mukoko

Despite his absence being felt, Yassine Salmi was quick to emphasise that Lupopo's strength lies in the collective, not in any single individual.

Mukoko Amale was part of the squad that traumatised Orlando Pirates in the preliminary round as they made their way to the group stages of the continental showpiece.

"I cannot single out Mukoko without acknowledging the rest of the squad," Salmi stated. "When we win, we win together, and when we lose, we lose together. It's never about just one player in the group."

Salmi admitted the game slipped away from them in the second half and pointed to missed opportunities as the primary cause for the loss.

He stressed that the team will now focus on capitalising on their home advantage to get their campaign back on track.

"If you watched the match, you saw we lost control in the second half. Why? Because if you don't create and convert your chances, you will be punished," he explained.

"We need to be more clinical in our upcoming games. We will see what happens in our next match in Lubumbashi."

Next, Mamelodi Sundowns will face a challenging away fixture against MC Alger in Algeria on Friday, November 28. Meanwhile, Saint Eloi Lupopo will host Sudan's Al-Hilal next weekend.