By Dylan Bettencourt
- Mamelodi Sundowns play the second leg of the Champions League final against a Moroccan football club in Rabat on Sunday.
- Coach Miguel Cardoso wants Mamelodi Sundowns to attack and score an away goal to win the huge African football tournament.
Mamelodi Sundowns will step into a stadium of 70,000 hostile fans in Morocco on Sunday. The Pretoria club takes a lead of one goal into the final match of the Champions League against AS FAR.
Sundowns want to win the tournament and add a second star to the club badge. The club last lifted the trophy in 2016.
The first match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria ended in a one goal win for Sundowns. But violence broke out in the stands. The video assistant referee monitor also broke down during the match.
AS FAR initially refused to play when officials told the club about the broken monitor. Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso said he spoke with AS FAR coach Alexandre Santos to calm the situation.
“Even when the VAR was not working you saw me speaking with AS FAR officials,” Cardoso said.
He said both clubs need to set a good example for African football. Cardoso said he did not know about the fights in the stands at Loftus. He hopes nobody suffered serious injuries.
Cardoso has lost his last two Champions League finals. He said Sundowns will not sit back and defend in Rabat.
“We need to think of all moments, be very strong on defence but, when we win the ball, play it,” Cardoso said.
He said scoring an away goal could decide the winner. If Sundowns score once, AS FAR will need to score three goals to win the trophy.
Moroccan teams have caused drama in recent finals. Wydad Athletic walked off the pitch during the 2018/19 final because of a broken monitor. Senegal also walked off the pitch for 17 minutes during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco in January.
Pictured above: Miguel Cardoso.
Image source: File
