Mamelodi Sundowns takes on Espérance' de Tunis in the second leg of CAF Champions League quarter-final at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi Stadium away in Tunisia this evening.
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Mamelodi Sundowns take to battle against an equally strong ES Tunis at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium away in Tunisia at 21h00 South African time this evening.
Downs take with them a home win, having won the first leg of the two legged quarter final fixture 1-0, with Peter Shalulile netting the only goal at the dying minutes of the match at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium exactly a week ago.
Downs coach Miguel Cardoso says they are in it to win it; they want a positive result in the second leg to proceed to the semi finals and potentially the final of the competition.
Downs stand a greater chance of progressing over hosts ES Tunis, who have a difficult task of turning the deficit and getting a goal advantage.
The teams are well set for their sixth encounter with ES Tunis having proved to be dominant winning three of the last five matches, drawing one and losing one.
With only eight teams remaining out of the 32 who were part of the group stages, the winner of this quarter final fixture will face either AS Far of Morocco or Pyramids of Egypt in the Semi Finals.
AS Far, Pyramids, ES Tunis, Sundowns, Al- Hilal, Al Ahly, Orlando Pirates and MC Alger remain in the competition.
Themba Zwane
Image: Phill Magakoe/AFP
With playmaker Themba "Mshishi" Zwane, a well experienced campaigner having returned to training, sundowns will have their hopes on Zwane, Lucas Ribeiro, Teboho Mokoena, Shalulile, Iqraam Rayners and Ronwen Williams to keep it tight between the sticks in order to deliver them their second CAF champions league accolades.
Zwane won the first CAF Champions League with the club during the 2015/2016 season under the tutelage of coach Pitso Mosimane and the captaincy of Hlompo Kekana.
Downs are looking to secure their second CAF Champions League title in just under a decade, having been knocked out at various stages of this competition since the 2016/2017 season until the 2023/2024 season.
This is the biggest inter continental club football competition in Africa where the winner gets secures a star embedded next to their crest as part of the honours.
IOL