Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has warned his side against complacency as they look to book their place in the CAF Champions League group stages against Angolan outfit Williete SC on Friday.
The defending African champions take a positive result into the second leg of their second preliminary round tie, but Cardoso insists the job is far from done, pointing to Sundowns’ past elimination by Petro de Luanda as a reminder of the challenges posed by Angolan opposition.
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“I’m not downplaying the importance of the game, I’m saying all games are important, we are playing finals, they are all important at different levels, a Champions League final is obviously not the same as a Carling Cup match,” Cardoso said.
“We got knocked out in the past by Petro de Luanda, this team is first in Angola, only conceded one goal. I said the draw was not kind, but Sundowns will state their level, we got a result that will put us in control to finish it.”
‘Nothing is easy in the Champions League’
While Sundowns have put themselves in a favourable position ahead of the return fixture, Cardoso believes underestimating Wiliete could prove costly, with the technical team needing to identify the right starting line-up and finishing options to get the job done.
“Will it be easy? Nothing is easy in the Champions League, it will be a misjudgement to say it’s easy, we need to fight for this – find the best ones to start and figure out who is the best to finish [the fixture],” he added.
Sundowns are aiming to navigate the preliminary rounds and continue their defence of the continental crown after winning the CAF Champions League last season.
Defender Thapelo Morena has also underlined the importance of Friday’s encounter, with the Brazilians determined to secure their place in the group stages and keep their title defence on track.
“It’s an important game for us to get into the group stages, we want to get back, things didn’t go well [in Angola], what happened happened, but the most important thing is what happens on Friday,” Morena said.
With a place in the group stages at stake, Sundowns will be eager to finish the job against Williete and take another step towards retaining their status as African champions.