Miguel Cardoso expects fine margins to decide Esperance tie

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Fine margins will be the difference against EST, says Cardoso

Africa 18 April 2026 at 03:20

Hlayisani Magoro

News Editor

Miguel Cardoso expects fine margins to decide Esperance tie

Photo: Miguel Cardoso

18.04.26 FT CAF Champions League

Mamelodi Sundowns FC

Esperance

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says their CAF Champions League semi-final clash against Esperance de Tunis will be decided by fine margins.

The Brazilians, having won 1-0 in Rades last week, host the Tunisian giants in the return leg at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday (15h00).

While Sundowns have a slender advantage heading into the match, Cardoso is not getting carried away as he acknowledges the threat posed by Esperance.

“I think both teams have capacity to score goals on all matches that they play. It's very rare you see a result from Esperance with a zero, it's very rare you see a result from Sundowns with a zero,” said the Downs mentor.

"So, what we need to understand is that obviously it's possible to do it and we did it in the previous match but there's a lot of work to do, making a clean sheet is a lot of work, a lot of strictness and a lot of concentration, and a lot of detail management, and a lot of runs, and a lot of capacity to hide the ball mostly.

"Both teams will try not to suffer and both teams will try to make the details of the game the moment they will appear, fall for their side, and then manage from there.

The Portuguese tactician anticipates a highly tactical battle with counterpart Patrice Beaumelle in the opposite dugout as he believes finer details will prove the difference.

“I obviously expect a very tactical match played by wonderful players from both sides, different characteristics, different ways to play, different ways to attack, different ways to defend - but it doesn't mean there's better or worse, right or wrong,” Cardoso added.

"And the margins on these matches is so small, so I expect again a match of details. In the last match the details fell on our side, let's hope it goes well again.

"It means that we have a lot to do to make it happen and that's our concentration, our intention, and our mindset - it's to make a humble, strict, serious, professional approach up to the last minute and then deal with it in the right way.

Notably, the last team to defeat Sundowns at home in a Champions League match was Esperance back in April 2024 in the same stage of the competition.