Sundowns face Champions League ‘final’ to avoid early exit

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says his side must treat Friday’s CAF Champions League tie against Wiliete as a final, with the defending champions at risk of failing to reach the group stages.

The first leg of the preliminary-round tie ended goalless in Angola, meaning Sundowns must win at home to progress to the round-robin phase. The second leg will be played at Loftus Stadium on Friday.

Sundowns have reached the group stages in every season since 2016, but that run is under threat after they were held by the Angolan club away from home.

Cardoso said the importance of the match should be reflected in the team’s preparation, while stressing that several other crucial fixtures are also approaching.

“I am not downplaying the importance of the game at all. I am just saying the other ones will be as important as this one. After this, then there is a knockout match for the Carling and the following week is Super Cup. What I mean is that we are playing finals. Those finals are all important. Of course, there are different levels. A Champions League final played in the qualifying round is obviously not the same as a Carling Cup match. What I mean the level of preparation we are going to put is as if it was an important final because it is,” Cardoso told media at Chloorkop on Wednesday.

The Portuguese coach also rejected the suggestion that drawing the away leg had put Sundowns in a poor position.

“The fact that we drew away, I don’t see it as a negative thing. I think Sundowns played Petro Luanda, Sundowns was knocked out. This team is in the first position of the championship in Angola. Suffered one goal throughout all the matches they played. They are as qualified as Petro Luanda. But I also said would state for its level, and that’s what we did. We arrived in Angola and we brought a result that puts us completely in the match.”

Cardoso’s reference was to Petro Luanda, another leading Angolan club, who previously knocked Sundowns out of the competition. He said Wiliete’s record showed they deserved respect, although the first-leg result had left the tie fully open.

Sundowns now need to turn that balanced contest in their favour at Loftus Stadium if they are to maintain their record of reaching the CAF Champions League group stages and continue their title defence.