AS FAR Star Admits Downs Made Them 'Suffer a Lot'

AS FAR Rabat midfielder Nolan Mbemba revealed that Mamelodi Sundowns made them "suffer a lot" and described the South Africans as a great team.

This comes after the Moroccan outfit suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of this season's CAF Champions League final.

Read: AS FAR Coach: It Was A Moment Of Brilliance

The Royal Army endured heavy pressure throughout the game, with the Brazilians recording 71% possession.

The North African side also failed to register a single shot on target, making it only the second time this season that they finished a CAFCL match without testing the goalkeeper.

Speaking after the encounter, the Congolese star admitted that his side went into the clash fully aware of the challenge that awaited them.

“We knew beforehand that it would be a very complicated and difficult match; we are facing a great team that has extensive experience at the level of the African continent," he said per 365Sports.

The midfielder went on to suggest that things could have ended up worse for the visitors.

Read: AS FAR Star: Downs Weren't Very Dangerous

“Now we are returning to Morocco with a 1-0 loss, and frankly, we suffered a lot throughout the match. We could have conceded more goals, but we showed great solidarity and fighting spirit in the back line, which prevented them from extending their lead,” the 31-year-old added.

"The current result keeps our chances intact, and we still have a golden opportunity next weekend in front of our huge crowd to turn things around and snatch the continental title."

The second leg will take place in Rabat next Sunday, with the home side eager to overturn the deficit and put themselves in a prime position to claim their first CAF Champions League title since 1985.