Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso insists his side will approach Friday’s CAF Champions League preliminary-round second leg against Angola’s Williet SC as a final, with qualification for the group stages on the line.

The Brazilians welcome the Angolan outfit to Loftus Versfeld Stadium after playing to a goalless draw in the first leg in Angola on Sunday.

Sundowns will be eager to make home advantage count as they look to extend their impressive record of reaching the Champions League group stages over the past decade.

Cardoso was frustrated by his team’s lack of aggression in front of goal in the first leg and will be demanding a more clinical performance in Pretoria.

“Finals are to be won, and we need to play at the best level we can, so that we achieve a result that allows us to go to the next stage of the competition,” Cardoso told the media.

The Portuguese tactician acknowledged that the tie remains finely balanced, warning that Williet SC should not be underestimated despite Sundowns playing at home.

“Nothing is easy in the Champions League. Whoever thinks that it’s easy will make a misjudgment of the situation,” he said.

Cardoso pointed to Williet SC’s impressive domestic form and defensive organisation as reasons why Sundowns must remain focused throughout the encounter.

He also defended the first-leg result, arguing that his team had put itself in a position to finish the job at home.

“We arrived in Angola and we brought a result that puts us completely in the match to finish it,” Cardoso explained.

The Sundowns coach stressed that his team would need to combine energy, mentality and tactical discipline to secure qualification within the 90 minutes.

“We are gathering the energy, the mentality, the connection, and then, of course, find the best ones to start and who is going to help to finish it, so that we do it in the 90 minutes and we move forward,” he added.

Experienced Sundowns player Thapelo Morena also underlined the importance of the fixture, describing it as the most important match for the club in its quest to reach the group stages.

“We’ve been in the group stages for the past 10 years, and it’s one thing that as a team we want to give back,” Morena said.

With the first leg ending goalless, Sundowns know that a victory will secure their progression, while another 0-0 draw would take the tie to penalties. A scoring draw would eliminate the Brazilians if the away-goals rule applies in this round.

Cardoso has also called on South African supporters to come out in numbers at Loftus Versfeld and rally behind the reigning African champions as they pursue another campaign among the continent’s elite.

For Sundowns, the objective is clear: deliver a decisive performance, find the back of the net and avoid giving Williet SC an opportunity to cause an upset.

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