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Medeama's Muntari Tagoe charges teammates ahead of Sundowns game

Medeama seek to overturn their deficit as they go into the second leg tie of the CAF Confederation Cup game against Mamelodi Sundowns

The Tarkwa base side need at least a 2-0 win at the Sekondi stadium to progress to the group stage of the competition. The team as part of their preparations for the cagey game beat second division side, Unicorn FC 6-0 on Sunday in a friendly match. Muntari says the team is ready for Sundowns and he is sure of qualification.

"I think it's hard but it's not hard for God. We started preparations since we got here last Monday and I think we are fine. You saw our game, this is a dress rehearsing game and I think we've done our best to get in more goals without conceding so we hoping that we get good health and injury free. On Wednesday we will do our possible best to make sure we bang in the goals and just qualify the team to the group stage".

The first leg defeat at the Lucas Moripe stadium in Pretoria taught the Mauves and Yellow bitter and valuable lessons, as Muntari and his teammates succumbed their opening minute lead through Eric Kwakwa to concede three goals in six minutes in the last ten minutes of the match.

The skipper recounts that it was a hard way to learn but they have taken the lessons in good strides.

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"It was a very big blow but we have to put it behind us. It has happened, we know what we learnt from it. No complacency, you don't have to lose concentration. When you playing such big games, you always have to concentrate 120%.

"If you lose concentration they are going to punish you because they are a mature side. So this is the time to concentrate and work hard, have the mental toughness and make sure we do the work in the first 20 to 45 minutes before we go for the second half.”

Medeama progressed to the play-offs with 2-0 home wins over Al Ittihad (2-1 aggregate) and Al Shendy (2-0 aggregate) of Libya and Sudan respectively. But the youngsters did so under lot of pressure.

The burden of expectation on Muntari and his colleagues to break the jinx that stopped them at home in 2014 against AC Leopards of DR Congo at this same stage is huge. The experienced goalkeeper believes his younger teammates can rise up to the challenge.

"We've played a lot of games and they know how to take the pressure now so I think they are matured now and they are going to deliver on Wednesday so we just have to give them the chance.

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"I don't put pressure on them. I tell them to do what they are capable of and don't listen to the supporters. They are there to make noise for us but you just have to take your time, have the composure and put the balls at the back of the net and that's what they are going to do on Wednesday.”

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