Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has flagged a crucial tactical element that will decide the team that reaches the CAF Champions League final between his side and Esperance.
The Brazilians go into Saturday’s semi-final second leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, enjoying a 1-0 advantage from the away leg in Tunisia. Brayan Leon’s headed second-half goal handed Masandawana a crucial away goal this past weekend.
That leaves Esperance with a huge task to upset the Brazilians in Tshwane. Making it a difficult assignment is that they will be up against a team desperate to end a decade-long Champions League title drought.
Having endured the disappointment of guiding his side to a runners-up finish last season, Cardoso is keen on getting it right this time around. The Champions League is also likely to determine his future at Chloorkop.
Throwing away the lead from the successful away mission would be catastrophic for Masandawana, who are also involved in a brutal battle with Orlando Pirates in the Betway Premiership title chase.
CARDOSO ZEROES IN ON TACTICAL DETAIL TO SEPARATE SUNDOWNS AND ESPERANCE
“Regarding the approach for the second leg, any team that has a history and a way of playing and identity has to be always as loyal as possible to what the team is. It happens the same with Esperance, it happens the same with Sundowns and the other two semi-finalists in the game they played, Berkane and AS FAR,” said Cardoso.
“So, the team will always fight to win owes itself to the other ones. But the games on this level have different moments. As expected, there were different moments in the game [in Tunisia].
“That is exactly how it will be in Pretoria. The team that deals better with the different moments is for sure the team that in the end will take[the win] and proceed to the next stage.”
RELATED STORY: Miguel Cardoso secures win against former employers, ES Tunis