CAF CL: Miguel Cardoso reveals the key to Sundowns' success against ES Tunis

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Mamelodi Sundowns secured a draw against ES Tunis in the second leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. Under the guidance of coach Miguel Cardoso, they clinched their spot in the semi-finals. This success is the result of meticulous and strategic preparation by the Portuguese technician.

Meticulous preparation for a formidable opponent

A year ago, Miguel Cardoso eliminated Sundowns with ES Tunis. On April 8, 2025, he delivered his revenge to the South Africans with a deserved qualification (1-0 in the first leg, 0-0 in the return leg). The Portuguese, who took charge of Sundowns in December 2024, knew ES Tunis well, having coached them before. This experience allowed him to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of his former club. Before the two-legged tie, Cardoso emphasized the importance of focusing on his team's strengths while respecting the opponent.

After the South African club's qualification for the semi-finals, the 52-year-old revealed how his team and he achieved this result.

“The key to success in this qualification is to know the individual qualities of all the Espérance players. We did everything to minimize their threat. Espérance's offensive play is centered around Belaïli. To ensure full offense, we sought out Youcef Belaïli a lot because he makes the difference. Controlling Belaïli is blocking 60% of Espérance's offensive capability,” he calmly explained.

Lydiane N'Po |

Editorfr, en

Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.