Soccer
CAFCL FINAL: Cardoso warns Sundowns ahead of tough clash in Rabat
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has warned his side against losing focus ahead of what he expects to be a difficult return leg in Morocco, insisting the Brazilians must still go out and score goals if they want to keep their Caf Champions League dream alive.
Sundowns took a significant step towards the final of the Champions League after edging AS FAR 1-0 in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Sunday.
Left-back Aubrey Modiba produced the decisive moment eight minutes before halftime, curling home a stunning free-kick from outside the box to hand Sundowns a slender advantage heading into next Sunday’s second leg in Rabat.
The Tshwane giants could easily have travelled with a bigger cushion, but Colombian striker Brayan Leon wasted three clear-cut chances in quick succession early in the second half.
The match itself was also briefly disrupted after halftime following a 20-minute delay caused by a faulty VAR system.
Despite the narrow victory, Cardoso made it clear that Sundowns cannot afford to sit back in Morocco.
“We have to play looking for a goal (in Rabat) the game will be different from this one obviously,” Cardoso said.
“But as must as we make it similar in the way we play and how many more moments, we take it that direction for sure the closest we will be from having control of the match, keeping the integrity of the team.
“And being able to obviously fight the right way for the trophy. It’s very important that we don’t ever lose the roots of who we are and that has to do with the biggest principles of our game of course.
“It will be a different match for sure, let’s see how we are going to prepare it, but we will be ready to the aggression that we are going to suffer.
“But it’s also important that we imply and we apply aggression to the opponents in order to obviously make them not feel that they can come with everything that we are not there.
“And the boy have to raise for that moment of course, if they do, we will be more close to go for something. If we don’t that we collapse and we can lose any moment.
“And it’s obviously not important that we think on what we got in hand, but much more what we have to fight for.”
Sundowns came closer last season in clinching the Champions League title as they were defeated by Pyramids of Egypt 3-2 on aggregate in the final.
