Sundowns reach second consecutive Champions League final under Cardoso

Mamelodi Sundowns will face AS FAR in the final after defeating Esperance 2-0 on aggregate in the semifinal.

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 semifinal¹². The club will face Moroccan side AS FAR in a two-legged final scheduled for May 15 in Pretoria and May 24 in Rabat¹².

Coach Miguel Cardoso became one of three coaches in African football history to reach the Champions League final three times consecutively, joining Manuel Jose and Pitso Mosimane¹². Cardoso reached the final once with Esperance and twice with Sundowns, but has not won the trophy¹². "When you enter the group of three coaches, you just need to enjoy," Cardoso said after the match¹. "Everybody wants more, but I'm always very thankful for life for what it has given me."¹

Brayan Leon scored the only goal in Saturday's match to send Sundowns through to their second successive final². The club last won the Champions League in 2016⁴⁶. Sundowns lost to Egyptian side Pyramids FC 3-2 on aggregate in last season's final⁴⁶.

Cardoso faced sustained pressure from supporters earlier in the season despite the team's progress in continental competition³⁵. In January, he and sporting director Flemming Berg left Loftus through a back entrance to avoid angry fans after a 2-2 draw with Al Hilal of Sudan³. Speculation about his dismissal intensified in December amid inconsistent results and the club's failure to win domestic cup competitions³⁵.

"That kind of people don't really make my life [harder], I live from the energy of the ones that are important," Cardoso said⁵. "The ones that wanted me out are probably not the ones who have the power and capacity to decide."⁵

Midfielder Thapelo Morena said the team understood what was required to win the trophy this time⁴. "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," he said⁴. Bathusi Aubaas expressed hope the current squad could emulate the club's 2016 generation, which defeated Zamalek in the final⁶.