Mamelodi Sundowns defender Keanu Cupido says the squad is focused and ready for Saturday’s second leg CAF Champions League semi-final against Esperance Sportive de Tunis at Loftus Versfeld, despite the challenge of replacing suspended defender Grant Kekana.
Sundowns head into the return fixture with a slender advantage from the first leg played in Tunis, and while Cupido acknowledges the tie is far from over, he is backing Masandawana to finish the job on home soil.
“You know it’s not going to be an easy game, especially with them needing to get a goal also, so we feel like we have one foot in [the final] but it’s not easy, we have to work hard as a team and not think about the previous game,” Cupido said.
The 25-year-old reflected on a testing first half in Tunisia, where Esperance created several openings before Sundowns made tactical adjustments at the break that ultimately helped them control proceedings.
“The first half was tough for us [in Tunis], basically they got a few opportunities but at half-time we fixed our positioning, we saw Divine [Lunga] was too wide out left and needed to hold his position more,” he said.
“We then controlled it more, we knew they would come in behind, once they do, and we compact, it was easier for us to deal with it and it helped us a lot, going into half-time, getting a breather and reset basically. But also the whole team performed very well, each and every one of us, we knew the mission, we worked very hard.”
Cupido was equally emphatic in his praise for the collective effort, stressing that the result in Rades was built on team discipline and a shared sense of purpose.
Kekana Absence Will Be Testing
The Sundowns faithful will, however, be without one of their most experienced defensive voices for the second leg, with Kekana serving a suspension after picking up a red card in the first leg.
“It’s a big, big [loss], we know Grant has years of experience, he helped us a lot, we will miss him but we have [Khulumani] Ndamane, very young but very good player, we have Keagan also, we know they can fill the shoes of Grant,” Cupido said.
He added that his own role in supporting the younger defenders stepping up would be crucial, given the magnitude of the occasion.
“But also with that, I think they will need my help because they not that experienced at this stage of the tournament, but we have been doing well, rotating the centre-backs, each one got opportunities and has taken it with both hands and now there’s another opportunity for one of them to fill the spot.”
Sundowns are chasing a place in the CAF Champions League final, and with the second leg on home turf, Cupido and his teammates will be eager to close out the tie and book their spot on the continental showpiece.
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