Sundowns face tough test in Tunis

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Apr 08, 2025. 13:00

Mamelodi Sundowns’ hopes of advancing into the final four of the CAF Champions League will face a tough test when they come up against Esperance de Tunis on Tuesday evening.

The teams will clash in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie, slated for the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis. Kick-off is at 9pm CAT.

The first leg in Pretoria last Tuesday ended 1-0 in favour of Sundowns, with Peter Shalulile scoring the only goal of the game early in the second half.

The match was also marked by fan clashes in the stands at Loftus Stadium – ratcheting up the tension and angst for the return game in Tunisia, as the Blood and Gold look to take their revenge on the Brazilians and secure a path into the semifinals against either Al Ahly or Al Hilal.

“What I can tell you, it will be a big game in Tunisia, if they can score one, we can score three and go through – so we’re playing attacking football, I’m confident in playing attacking football in Tunisia,” said Esperance de Tunis coach Maher Kanzari.

“There were some attacking players injured, so I rolled the dice. But without that, it could have been a 0-0 so I’m confident it will be a big game in Tunisia where we will go for a win.

“I don’t think that it will matter in the next game, in Tunisia it will be a different ball game. In the last five years we know Sundowns and a technically and tactically good team but as I said, possession is not a key factor to get a result.”

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, meanwhile, believes his team needs to have the attitude that this is just another ‘normal’ match.

“It’s a match like any other match, my job is to make the players believe it’s a match like any other one, because there’s only 11 players inside the pitch, the crowd and fans don’t play,” said the Portuguese.

“The referee will not want to make mistakes, be neutral, so 11 players have to play football. They have their own strengths, I know what they believe, they live for Champions League nights, they live for wonderful Champions League nights.”

In head-to-head terms, Sundowns and Esperance have met in nine previous matches (all in the Champions League), with the Blood & Gold claiming four wins compared to two for the Brazilians (plus three drawn games).

The teams’ last meeting in Tunisia was in April 2024 and saw the North African hosts triumph 1-0 thanks to a goal from Yan Mediero Sasse.