Sundowns reach third consecutive Champions League final under Cardoso

Mamelodi Sundowns will face AS FAR of Morocco in May after defeating Esperance 2-0 on aggregate.

Mamelodi Sundowns advanced to the CAF Champions League final on Saturday after defeating Esperance 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, securing a 2-0 aggregate victory in the semifinal.¹² The Pretoria-based club will face AS FAR of Morocco in a two-legged final scheduled for 15 May in Pretoria and 24 May in Rabat.¹²

Coach Miguel Cardoso reached his third consecutive Champions League final, having previously guided Esperance to one final and Sundowns to another, though he has yet to win the title.¹² He joined Pitso Mosimane and Manuel Jose as the only coaches in African football history to reach three consecutive finals.¹² "When you enter the group of three coaches, you just need to enjoy," Cardoso said after the match.¹ "Everybody wants more, but I'm always very thankful for life for what it has given me."¹

Bryan Leon scored the only goal in Saturday's match.² Sundowns utility player Thapelo Morena said the team was determined to win the title after losing to Pyramids of Egypt 3-2 on aggregate in last season's final.⁴ "It's one of those medals that has been haunting us, because it has been a long time since getting anything from the Champions League," Morena said.⁴ Sundowns won their only Champions League title in 2016.⁴

Cardoso faced sustained pressure from supporters earlier in the season over the team's style of play and their failure to win the MTN8, Carling Knockout, and Nedbank Cup.³ In January, Cardoso and sporting director Flemming Berg left Loftus through the back door to avoid angry supporters after a 2-2 draw with Al Hilal of Sudan.³ "That kind of people don't really make my life [harder], I live from the energy of the ones that are important," Cardoso said.⁵ "The ones that wanted me out are probably not the ones who have the power and capacity to decide."⁵

Cardoso cautioned against underestimating AS FAR, saying the final would be at least as difficult as the semifinal.¹²