PASSING Mamelodi Sundowns’ anthem at Mali’s Stade Malien in the first leg of the Caf Champions League quarterfinals, not only gives them the chance to progress to the semi-finals but is a challenge to make another history by winning the competition for the second time.
Sundowns will enter the field in the second leg full of confidence since they defeated Malien 3-0 in the first leg in Pretoria last week.
The Brazilians are left with a yoke to complete the task at the Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, on Sunday at 6 pm.
Sundowns reaching the semi-finals has become normal for them. It reached this stage in the 2018/19, 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. In the last season of 2024/25, they reached the final for the first time since they won the Champions League in 2016.
However, it has become history that it was defeated by Pyramids of Egypt 3-2 in the final.
Despite the fact that things seem to be in the Sandawana’s favor before tomorrow’s match with Blancs de Bamako, but their coach, Miguel Cardoso, understands well the importance of being as careful as a chameleon in his own to avoid the risk of being turned by this Mali team in its fold.
The coach made it clear after last night’s first leg match that they have not finished the job, warning that their second leg match against this team from Mali will be very different because the field will be dry and it will not be easy to play the fast and grassy football they are used to.
Since 2016, when they last won the Champions League, the Sandawanas have not progressed in this competition, coming out of the quarterfinals four times, including exiting the group stage in 2018.
So the appointment of Cardoso in December 2024 was the management’s way of showing that they want a repeat of 2016.
This season, the pressure on the coach from Portugal to win the Champions League to wash away the shame that the fans of this team have repeatedly shown that they don’t listen to his story has increased.