Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says the 1-0 win over Esperance Sportive de Tunis was a really optimistic consequence, and that the CAF Champions League is for grown-ups, not children.
Cardoso was talking after the 1-0 win within the first leg at Loftus Versfeld which some imagine will not be a secure benefit heading into what is predicted to be a hostile atmosphere in Rades on Tuesday night.
Whether or not the glass is half full or half empty, the previous Taraji coach, who led them to the ultimate of the competitors on the expense of his present membership, Sundowns, final season says he wanted to verify they’d a win, slightly than permitting a late surge from the Tunisian giants break their arduous work on the day.
“The query of convincing or not convincing will not be a very clear concern for anybody, not from us, a 0-0 consequence at residence can be a optimistic consequence, a 1-0 at house is a really optimistic consequence, however it doesn’t imply something,” Cardoso stated.
“It’s my job to push the gamers for efficiency, as a result of I feel the correlation between efficiency and outcomes occur extra naturally than performances with unhealthy outcomes, so I have to push for performances and high quality soccer.
“Champions League matches are for grown-ups and never for teenagers… they aren’t for naive gamers. In the event you endure a aim within the final ten minutes when Esperance seem on the pitch, then you definitely can be crying on this second as a result of we gave them a powerful benefit.
“My job is to deal with the moments however imagine me I feel we have to play there to win, however that’s not additionally being naive in attacking, you must know the right way to assault them, as a result of there’s all the time a second once you’re attacking, and also you endure from that.
“These are the moments the place Esperance may be very sturdy, so we have to deal with that, the areas we have to assault, masking areas, we must be sensible after we lose the ball, the right way to relate, to not make errors and ready for set-pieces.”
Cardoso stated it’s not nearly specializing in what Esperance can do within the return leg to combat again into the tie, however slightly how they’ll be capable of cease Sundowns and their strengths as he calls on the massive gamers, for giant moments subsequent week.
“However they should additionally fear about us as a result of we will rating, we have now been scoring in all places, in order that ought to be the query. I’m not additional optimistic about going away, I’m simply cautious about what I’ve, a really sturdy workforce of Sundowns can undergo this quarter-final, that’s what I hope occurs as a workforce,” he continued.
“If we do it, I feel we can be nearer to what we wish, if we don’t play to our limits, they usually do it, we’ll endure, as a result of they’ll push till the final minute, however it’s soccer, as you stated what’s the champions league?
“It’s bringing one of the best of the gamers, feelings. Within the massive video games, the massive gamers seem. We have to push that however from the gamers themselves. So, let’s put together in one of the best ways, recuperate now, fly there, arrive, verify who’s in one of the best situations and strategy the sport in one of the best ways.”
The 2 sides meet on the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi on Tuesday at 21h00.
