Why Sundowns coach Cardoso believes Shalulile’s goal makes all the difference

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is grateful Peter Shalulile's solitary strike gave his team an important 1-0 victory over Tunisian giants Esperance in the first leg of the Caf Champions League at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday.

The 52-year-old Portuguese believes the Namibian's 65th-minute goal can make all the difference. Cardoso knows the challenge of playing at the 65,000-seat Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, site of Tuesday's second leg in Radès, outside the Tunisian capital Tunis. He coached Esperance before joining the Brazilians in December, including scheming then-coach Rulani Mokwena's Sundowns' 2-0 aggregate semifinal exit in the 2023-24 Champions League. Cardoso’s side fell 1-0 over two legs against Al Ahly in the final. 

A crucial difference this season, Cardoso believes, is leading 1-0 — last season Downs drew 0-0 in the home first leg. It means Esperance have to attack to a decent extent — at least more than their ultra-defensive strategy in Pretoria that could not earn a draw. That will leave Downs opportunities in the counterattack. 

The statistics of Tuesday's game showed Esperance finished the game without a shot on target in their four measly attempts. Sundowns had 80% of ball possession and three shots on target out of nine taken.

Cardoso was certainly frustrated his team struggled to break the defensive wall of his former side. Esperance's new coach Maher Kanzari — the second to take over after Cardoso's departure, replacing Romanian Laurențiu Reghecampf last month — explained it was always their aim to contain Sundowns in the first leg as they were banking on home advantage to win the tie. Esperance were not expected to be as defensive at Loftus after scoring 12 goals and conceding three to finish top of Group D.

“We believe in the second leg with our [injured attackers back], we'll attack and try to win the game," Kanzari said. “What I can tell you is it will be a big game in Tunisia. If they score one, we can score three to go through. We're preparing an attacking game plan and I'm comfortable we'll go through playing attacking football." 

Cardoso believes Sundowns need not panic about how Esperance will approach the second leg. He believes the Tunisian club wanting to attack can open opportunities for the Brazilians.

Discipline in the way Sundowns attack in Radès is what Cardoso emphasised. The Portuguese did, though, feel his team could have done more in Pretoria, especially in the first half. 

“The spaces [to exploit] were there but we didn't take the ball there," protested the Sundowns coach.

“For me the match [away] is like any other one. My job is to make the players believe the match is just like any other because there's only 11 players inside the pitch. The crowd or the fans don't play, the referee will be neutral. So 11 players have to play football. They [Downs' players] have their strengths, I know what they believe.

“I believe we can win there, but my job is to make my players believe they can win there because if you go there to play for a draw, you'll lose. They also know that if they suffer another goal, it will be tricky for them. I know what to expect and I know what we can do. To go to the semifinal, we must play the second leg to win."

It is in this context that Cardoso believes, for his side to seal their victory in Tunisia, they have to stick to their trademark carpet football in a measured manner.

The only team to do the opposite of what Esperance attempted against Sundowns in Pretoria is Orlando Pirates, who have not changed their game plan whether they play home or away in this Champions League, where Bucs remain the only team unbeaten. That is probably why Bucs were also the only team to win away from home in the quarterfinal first legs. Pirates beat Algeria's MC Alger 1-0, with Mohau Nkota scoring a stunning goal to keep Jose Riveiro's team unbeaten run intact in 11 matches (with eight wins). 

An approach similar to what Pirates employed in Algiers is what would help Sundowns against Esperance away — relentless, though cautious, probing, eyeing out the slightest opportunity at every turn. Pirates needed only one shot on target to beat MC Alger.

Cardoso fully appreciates what Sundowns need to do. “We need to attack the space and be wise the moment we lose the ball and not make mistakes on that. We have to be very good at dealing with set pieces because they're very good at that. But they need to worry about us because we can score there. We've been scoring everywhere."

The coach said Sundowns have to be intelligent in their approach. Crucial to that will be central midfielders Teboho Mokoena and Jayden Adams, who should feed playmaker Lucas Ribeiro with better supply.

On Tuesday Ribeiro was forced to drop deep to gain possession as Esperance always had a five-man wall at the back. The Brazilian was key to Downs' goal as his long-range pass from deep found Adams, who nodded down for Shalulile to score. 

With Esperance forced to attack, Ribeiro will have more chances to do more than what he was able to at Loftus. But even more in favour of Sundowns is that the Brazilian can score a lot of goals himself.

It is only that formula, finding a way to play to win, that will help Sundowns dominate the second leg. Downs will have to attack but with a lot of discipline.