Mamelodi Sundowns must beat Wiliete SC of Angola at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Friday evening. A win will take the defending champions into the CAF Champions League group stage.
The second round preliminary tie is level after a goalless draw in the first leg in Angola last weekend. Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso said a second 0-0 result would send the tie to penalties.
“This match is like a cup final for us, and we’ve been playing similar games week in and week out since the beginning of the season. We want to fight to get to the higher stages of the competition. We know if we win, we go through, if we play a zero draw it will go to the penalties,” Cardoso told SABC Sport.
Sundowns won their second Champions League title in May. Their defence of the trophy started with the draw away from home.
Cardoso said he was not taking the Angolan champions lightly. He pointed to an earlier exit against another club from Angola.
“I’m not downplaying the importance of this game. But all the games that we play are important. The last time Sundowns played Petro Luanda from Ngola, they were knocked out. I said it after the draw that this is not a kind draw for us but again nothing is easy in the Champions League. We need to fight to get to the group stage,” Cardoso said.
Winger Thapelo Morena said the players see Friday as their biggest game so far. He said the team was sure it would go through.
“I think this game is the most important game for us as a team. If I’m not mistaken Sundowns have been in the group stage for the past ten years or so. The past game is like water under the bridge, we know that we have to sweat blood on Friday but definitely we will go through to the next round,” Morena said.
Morena said the squad had worked on the errors it made in the first leg.
“As a club they have passed the stage of discussing how to deal with such a pressure moment. In the last match we got a draw and we know what’s expected of us to go forward. We have already worked on the mistakes we committed in the previous match and we are very hopeful,” he said.
According to SABC Sport, Sundowns are South Africa’s most successful club in the competition. They have reached the group stage every time since winning their first title in 2016.
The club has played in the group stage 13 times and finished as runners up twice. The last time Sundowns were knocked out in the play-offs was in 2008.
The second leg kicks off at Loftus Versfeld on Friday evening. The winner moves into the group stage of this season’s competition.
Source: this article is based on reporting by SABC Sport. Image: SABC Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.