Petro de Luanda coach Alexandre Santos has vowed that they won’t try to defend their slender lead when they clash with Mamelodi Sundowns in the return leg of the Caf Champions League quarterfinal at the FNB Stadium on Saturday [18h00].
Instead, the Angolans will be out to push the South Africans against the wall in their backyard. Petro carries a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Luanda last weekend. Santos, however, believes trying to defend their lead may work against them as Sundowns are a team that seeks to dominate play.
“The second half is tomorrow [Saturday], we have to play a very strong game to keep this result. The main goal is not to save the advantage but to play the game and do our best.
We know we are playing against one of the best teams in Africa, they are a powerful team and deserve respect, but we want to get another good result,” Santos told journalists.
He is convinced the tie will be highly contested as both teams play positive football and have equally good players in their squads.
“Sundowns is similar in the type of game, what we play they play, we have good individual players, and we have a better team. The team is more important than the [individual] players. If we try to avoid some players, there will be other players to do [the job]. We know three or four players who play a lot of games, in midfield and the striker. My staff didn’t show specific individuals in their analysis because the strength is the team but not one or two players,” he said.
He is aware that Sundowns’ vociferous supporters will throng the FNB Stadium and make the environment hostile. However, he insists his charges are prepared for everything the hosts will throw at them. The Tshwane giants have invited their fans to the FNB Stadium in their numbers.
Santos said the first leg win showed that his team had everything to upset the star-studded Downs side.
