Cardoso’s perspective on facing Al Ahly in Champions League semis
After defeating his former employers, Esperance, in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has shared his perspective on the semi-final matchup against Al Ahly.
This comes after Bafana Ba Style booked a spot in the Champions League semi-finals after a 1-0 aggregate win over the Tunisian giants Esperance.
In the first leg in Pretoria, Sundowns walked away with a 1-0 win, while they managed to hold Esperance to a goalless draw away from home on Tuesday night in. The second-leg quarter-final clash the North African side and Masandawana took place at Stade Olympique De Rades in Tunisia.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly qualified for the semis after they beat Al Hilal 2-0 on aggregate.
WHAT MIGUEL CARDOSO SAID ABOUT LOCKING HORNS WITH AL AHLY IN THE SEMI-FINALS
Cardoso, who was Esperance’s coach when the Tunisian side lost 1-0 to Al Ahly in last season’s Champions League finals, admitted that beating the Red Devils in the semis would be difficult.
However, he believes that advancing to the finals is achievable if they prepare properly and bring a strong game to the Egyptian club.
“We know that Al Ahly has won many Champions League trophies in the last seven or eight years. Last year, unfortunately, I lost a final against them. But I think it is possible to beat them,” said Cardoso.
“We need to play two very complete and strong games, focusing on the details for sure. We need to be strong and prepare ourselves in the best way.
“The game against Al Ahly is not that far away, but we still have a Nedbank Cup game to play, and that should be our focus now. We will then think about the Al Ahly game.”
The first-leg of the semi-finals between Sundowns and Al Ahly will be played on the 18th of April in South Africa, whereas the second leg will take place in Egypt on the 25th of April 2025.
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