Newly appointed Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso will face a stern test in his first match in charge of the Tshwane club when they take on Raja Casablanca in their next CAF Champions League encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon.
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Kick-off is at 3:00pm (CAT, GMT+2)
CURRENT FORM
In what was news that made headlines in South African football this week, Downs unveiled Cardoso as their new head coach ahead of their clash against the Moroccan giants.
Following work permit concerns, it was recently revealed that the former Esperance mentor will be on the touchline this Sunday.
Formerly under the tutelage of Manqoba Mngqithi, Downs commenced their CAFCL bid with consecutive draws against Maniema Union and FAR Rabat respectively.
While Masandawana occupy second position in Group B, Raja head into their next CAFCL assignment sitting at the bottom of the table.
After a 2-0 loss to FAR Rabat, followed by a 1-1 stalemate with Maniema Union, the Moroccan side have battled to yield positive results in Africa’s premium club competition.
WHAT WAS SAID
Reflecting on the new job at hand, Cardoso expressed that he wants to build a dominant side that will control games. With Sundowns prioritising the CAF Champions League title, Cardoso believes that the club will have to be consistent to cultivate a winning mentality.
"I want a team that can control the games. Controlling the games means the team must be solid in all four moments of the match. You must understand very well what to do with the ball,” Cardoso said.
"It's how we can be together. The difficulties will come and we will overcome them when we are together.
"You win on the first day of the week, on the first training of the week and this is the first mentality I will bring to the club. The true winners don't come from perfection, they come from consistency. We need to be ambitious, ambitious is not something you say. It's what you show, it's an attitude. No one kills an attitude, no one. It's impossible."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mamelodi Sundowns: Marcelo Allende – It’s safe to say that the 25-year-old has been the heartbeat of the Brazilian’s midfield in the last couple of seasons. With most of Sundowns gameplay going through the Chilean, Allende could affect the game with his creativity and guile inside the opposition half.
Raja Casablanca: Mouhsine Bodda – As the player who keeps the game ticking in the middle of the park, Bodda could have his hands full this weekend. In facing a possession heavy Downs midfield, a midfield battle could well dictate the outcome of the match, which will require Bodda to be at the top of his game.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This will be the first meeting between Downs and Raja Casablanca.