Mamelodi Sundowns face unbeaten Wiliete test in CAF Champions League

Mamelodi Sundowns begin their CAF Champions League title defence with a demanding away tie against Angolan side Wiliete in the second preliminary round on Sunday at 5pm.

Coach Miguel Cardoso has warned his team not to underestimate opponents who may be unfamiliar to many observers but have made an outstanding start to their domestic campaign.

Wiliete lead the Girabola standings with 16 points from six matches and remain unbeaten. They secured their place in the second round by beating Seychelles club Foresters 5-0 on aggregate.

Mamelodi Sundowns, who are among the competition’s high seeds, were given a bye in the first round. They must now try to gain an advantage from the opening leg before the return fixture.

Cardoso said the South African club had already begun analysing Wiliete after returning from Durban and expected a difficult contest.

“We should respect this qualifying round in a very strong and aggressive way. The draw was not friendly,” he said.

“Sometimes we face teams where we know, ‘We will do it’, but this is a tough one, and they [Wiliete] are leading the Angolan championship. After we arrived back from Durban, we were already studying them, and it’s obvious that they’re a team that will create problems for us, and we need to be focused.”

The match is the start of an increasingly congested period for Mamelodi Sundowns, who are competing on all fronts. Cardoso said he would rotate his squad to maintain the players’ fitness and called on supporters to trust the decisions made by his technical team.

He said the selection process would be based on both physical condition and the need to keep the squad motivated, with competition for places allowing players to step into the team at any time.

“Managing the group means putting in those who are showing us they’re in better condition to play. We also need to manage motivation and keep the group permanently on the edge,” Cardoso said.

“We know that there’s competition for places and there are players that can play at any moment. Fawaaz Basadien had a good game yesterday against Richards Bay, but in the [MTN8] final it was Divine Lunga and Aubrey Modiba who played.”

Cardoso’s comments underline the balancing act facing Mamelodi Sundowns as they pursue another CAF Champions League campaign while managing their commitments in domestic competitions. The club’s supporters have also been asked to understand that changes to the starting line-up will be part of that approach.

The tie is scheduled to begin at 5pm on Sunday.