Mamelodi Sundowns will stick to their enterprising style in the CAF Champions League final second leg as they defend a 1-0 lead against AS FAR in Rabat on Sunday, May 24, the report says.
The first leg at Loftus Versfeld finished 1-0 after an Aubrey Modiba free-kick late in the first half, the report says. Sundowns created several further chances to extend the advantage and Teboho Mokoena struck the post from a free-kick in the 84th minute, leaving AS FAR without an away goal.
Cardoso has faced criticism that his tactics are overly defensive, a charge he has disputed strongly, per the report. After the first-leg match he told reporters that teams must remain loyal to their identity and that a squad’s style cannot be suddenly transformed by a coach’s will; he linked Sundowns’ identity to the roots of the South African people and the club’s origins, the report says.
He acknowledged there are tactical aspects to manage in matches but stressed there are moments for the team to express itself, and said only a Sundowns side performing at the level shown in the first leg could handle the difficulties expected in the return match, according to the report. Cardoso had also attributed defensive lapses in recent league games to an abandonment of principles while seeking goals to address a goal-difference gap to Orlando Pirates in the domestic title race, the report says.
With AS FAR leaving Loftus without an away goal, Sundowns will not face pressure to chase the tie in Rabat, only the task of preserving their lead, per the report. If they do hold on, the report says they would become the first South African club to win two CAF Champions League titles, having previously claimed the trophy in 2016; Orlando Pirates remain the only other South African winner, in 1995.
