Bravery, Intelligence Key For Sundowns In Tunis: Cardoso Imparts Inside Knowledge

Coach Miguel Cardoso said Mamelodi Sundowns will play for a win, not a draw, in the second leg of their Caf Champions League quarterfinal in Tunisia next week Tuesday.

Downs hold a 1-0 advantage from their first leg against Esperance de Tunis at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday thanks to Peter Shalulile's slick 65th-minute finish.

That is an improvement from being held to a 0-0 home draw in last year's semifinal when Rulani Mokwena was coach of Sundowns and Cardoso schemed a 2-0 aggregate victory for Esperance, who then lost 1-0 over two legs to Al Ahly in the final.

Cardoso said playing for a draw in Tunis would be foolhardy. He added, though, Downs need to be ultra-cautious in how they set up and attack, as a clever side like Esperance will capitalise on any mistakes to reverse the one-goal advantage.

The tie is delicately balanced. The Brazilians will be greeted by a hostile atmosphere at Esperance's 65,000-seat Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, where Cardoso's inside knowledge prompted his sight that bravery and intelligence will be crucial for Downs.