Miguel Cardoso sends bold message as Mamelodi Sundowns chase CAF Champions League glory in Rabat

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has delivered a confident and ambitious message ahead of the decisive CAF Champions League final second leg against AS FAR Rabat, insisting that his side will not travel to Morocco merely to defend their slender advantage.

Sundowns carry a narrow 1-0 lead into Sunday’s return fixture at the fully packed Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, following Aubrey Modiba’s stunning free-kick that secured victory in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

With a positive result crucial to winning their second CAF Champions League title, Sundowns will approach the return clash with all serious in an attempt to triumph over the Moroccan club.

However, Cardoso has stressed that his team will approach the match with intent, courage, and attacking ambition.

“We will fight to make the one-goal advantage enough,” Cardoso said. “A second goal would’ve been more fair for the level we showed in the first leg, but we are going to take the right energy and approach the second leg seriously.”

His comments underline Sundowns’ belief in their ability to compete on equal terms away from home, even in one of the most hostile environments in African club football. The Moroccan capital is expected to produce a fiercely partisan atmosphere, with tickets reportedly sold out nearly 10 days in advance.

The intensity of the occasion adds another layer of difficulty for the South African champions, who will face a determined AS FAR side eager to overturn the deficit and reach the continental final on home soil.

Despite the pressure, Sundowns have built a reputation in recent years as one of Africa’s most composed and technically disciplined teams, capable of managing high-stakes encounters both at home and abroad. Cardoso’s approach suggests he intends to maintain that identity rather than retreat into a defensive shell.

AS FAR Rabat, coached by Alexandre Santos, will be banking heavily on home support to overturn the deficit, with their aggressive pressing style and physical intensity expected to test Sundowns throughout the match.

However, Sundowns will also carry attacking threats of their own, with their ability to control possession and exploit spaces on the counter likely to be key factors in determining the outcome.

For Cardoso, the challenge is clear: balance ambition with control in one of the most demanding away fixtures in African football.

With everything to play for in Rabat, Sundowns’ approach will ultimately decide whether their first-leg advantage is enough to secure the CAF Champions League title, or whether AS FAR’s overturn the result to win it.