Were set-plays Mamelodi Sundowns' Champions League Achilles heal?

Mokwena was speaking after watching his team bow out of the competition they had been considered outright favourites to go on an win. 

Instead they were held to 2-2 draw by defending champions Wydad Casablanca, with The Brazilians then succumbing to the away-goals rule. 

Both the Moroccans’ goals were scored from aerial balls, while Downs’ four previous goals conceded in the competition were also either from set plays or aerial balls. 

"We're going to have to answer questions for sure – some we might not have answers to. What might assist us is that nobody can fault us for effort, commitment or maybe even pre-empting what we may know as the strength of the North African teams," said Mokwena.

"The appointment of a set-piece coach [Michael Loftman] should go as evidence that we are not people who are the best scientists after [the facts]. 

"So, when we made the employment, it was not to say in the short-term because that's not the game of football, but it was because we identified that one of the major strengths as to why 35 Champions League trophies have gone to the North is because of that."

South Africa will still be represented in the final with Bafana Bafana striker Percy Tau expected to be part of Al Ahly’s attack.

Having enjoyed a close relationship with the former Sundowns forward, Mokwena refused to publicly share a message for the Egypt-based 29-year-old.

"I don't know if I'll have a message for Percy, but if I will, I think I will convey it privately like I've always communicated with him," he concluded.