Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi appreciated playing against "a big team" in Kaizer Chiefs and suggested the feisty encounter they won 2-1 will help them prepare for the CAF Champions League group stages.
Sundowns came from behind after Lucas Ribeiro Costa cancelled out an early goal from Ranga Chivaviro on the half-hour mark and Iqraam Rayners scored what proved to be the winner six minutes later.
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"We were playing against a big team, with a huge following. I think we started the game very well but were unfortunate to concede against the run of play. I have not looked at that goal closely but I think we allowed Ranga in between our centre-backs, instead of one centre-back taking care of him," Mngqithi told SuperSport TV.
"But from there we took the game to them. I think we showed composure, good intensity on the ball, we moved the ball quite well, I think our wing play really helped us in the game because we started threatening from Thapelo[Morena]'s side, we [also] started threatening from Tash [Matthews]'s side and it opened the game up.
"And very good focus from our front three because all of them were always alert and ready. I think we didn't help ourselves in the first half because they had a high line and we didn't punish it enough. We could've found possibilities to get behind them, because whenever we got behind them we looked dangerous.
"But overall it was a good game, they gave us a very good game. In the second-half they came, they threw everything at us but it was a nice experience for the players to suffer as a team, because it's important, we're going to North Africa, we're going to be experiencing crowds like this and we have to suffer at some point and with their direct game, trying to find the strikers, we were forced to bring Rushine [De Reuck] in the latter stages, just to close the game and make sure that we have enough ammunition on set-pieces as well, which is why we brought in Peter, because we thought if there was a way they could come back in could be with a set-piece.
"Thanks to our supporters who came in numbers, unfortunate to Chiefs fans but they came in numbers. But I think even if they didn't get the result, they had the crowd, they are also going home with nice flags, I like those flags," Mngqithi added.