Miguel Cardoso: Mamelodi Sundowns ready for high-stakes clash with Saint Eloi Lupopo

MIGUEL CARDOSO knows just how important Sunday afternoon’s CAF Champions League Group C tie against Saint Eloi Lupopo is, not only for Mamelodi Sundowns but for himself as well (kick-off 3pm).

The Portuguese coach is walking a tightrope heading into the penultimate match of the round-robin phase in a continental competition the South African champions always demand to excel in. Failure to progress to the knockout phase would be a disaster for the Brazilians, who have been a permanent feature in the quarter-finals since 2019.

Speaking at the pre-match conference in Lubumbashi, Cardoso conversed in both French and English with such ease he likely wishes his players could dribble past their opponents with similar fluidity.

“It’s always difficult to play here,” he said, translating his own French into English. “The teams are so strong when they play at home.”

Just like last year when they played Maniema Union in the fifth match of the mini-league, Sundowns are in the DRC with two matches left. Cardoso would love nothing more than a repeat of that fixture, when Peter Shalulile came off the bench to score two decisive goals.

“Obviously, we know what to do. We know what capacity we have and we know very well how to play when there is a lot at stake,” Cardoso said.

“We have two of those matches ahead of us and we will play with commitment, concentration, dedication, and intention. We will play with the strong will of the group we are, using the experience and structure built for these kinds of moments.

"We have to live them fully so that we can achieve our goals.”

Confident as he is in his team’s capabilities, Cardoso admitted they are in for a tough afternoon.

“We expect a match similar to the ones previously played here, but we have our own way of playing and we must take the match into our comfort zone. The fact is that there will still be lots to play for in the final match next weekend (Sundowns host MC Alger, coached by their former manager Rulani Mokwena) regardless of this afternoon’s results.

“Whoever wins, they still have to win the last match to go through. We must manage these games properly. We need to be a very complete team if we want to be successful, and that’s what we are working for.

"The pressure comes from ourselves; from our will to do well and our intention to win matches and collect as many points as possible so that we arrive at the final match in the best possible condition.”

He added: “We need to take four points from the last two — one here and three in the next one, or vice versa — if we want to go through. The last one will be the decisive one; that’s why we have to be very serious this afternoon.”

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