Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says they are in it to win it; they want a positive result in the second leg to proceed to the semi finals of the CAF Champions League and potentially the final of the competition.
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Mamelodi Sundowns qualified for their third CAF Champions League semi-final in a row at the expense of Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis after playing out to a 0-0 draw at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Brazilians advanced to the next round thanks to their 1-0 aggregate win, following their victory in the first leg last Tuesday at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The 2016 champions will meet Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the semi-finals, and here, Obakeng Meletse looks at the three key talking points ahead of the penultimate round...
A familiar high hurdle
Outside their win in 2016, Sundowns have struggled to navigate their way past the semi-finals stages.
They missed out at the hands of Esperance (2-0 aggregate) last season and against Wydad Athletic Club (2-2 aggregate, loss on away goals) the season before, with Rhulani Mokwena the man in charge in the two attempts.
They will trust that Miguel Cardoso brings with him the breath of spring and a force capable of shattering the barrier that has held them back in seasons gone by.
The Portuguese mentor will not be a stranger to this phase of the competition, as in his previous chapter with the Tunisian outfit, he steered them to the final, and they just missed out by a slender 1-0 loss against Al Ahly.
Rivalry renewed
The Brazilians will meet the Egyptian giants in the last four after they saw the better of the Al-Hilal with a 2-0 aggregate score after securing 1-0 wins in both legs.
Despite the Red Devils’ rich history on the African continent, particularly in this tournament, Sundowns have had the better of them, and with the tough challenge that lies ahead, they will be silently confident considering their recent history.
Al Ahly are the most successful club in this competition, and after having failed to beat another South African side, Orlando Pirates (2-1 aggregate), in the group stages, they will not have it easy either against a Sundowns side that have only lost once in their last eight meetings.
The 2016 champions have won four matches, drawn two, and only lost the quarter-finals of the 2021 season (2-0), when South African coach Pitso Mosimane was still part of the crowned club of the century.
It will still be a tough encounter, though, as the 12-time champions have been known to get stronger as the tournament reaches the business end.
Experience is gold
Through their dominance in the Premiership, Sundowns have gained a lot of experience in the last seven consecutive years in continental competition.
Their class and execution were evident as they weathered Esperance’s storm in a packed and lively Hammadi Agrebi Stadium.
The Brazilians survived a scare in the second half, with Esperance's forward Achref Jabri putting the ball in the back of the net with a clever finish over Ronwen Williams.
VAR technology came to the visitors rescue as the goal was ruled as an offside, but what was key is how they maintained composure after that incident to see the game home.
The competition will get tougher as the tournament nears the end, and this could be where the Pretoria-based outfit could once again stand out and be in line to secure their first final after two failed attempts in the last two seasons.