Miguel Cardoso unfazed by looming Al Ahly battle after eliminating Esperance from Caf Champions League - 'It is possible to beat them' but insists on now focusing on Kaizer Chiefs

Mamelodi Sundowns are through to the Caf Champions League semi-finals after getting past Esperance.

The Tshwane giants beat the Tunisian champions 1-0 at home last week before a 0-0 draw in Rades on Tuesday.

After securing passage to the Champions League last-four, Masandawana will now meet defending champions Al Ahly at that stage.

But before that, they have Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup.

“It was not an easy match, but I didn’t expect it also to be easier when you had to play against the team we were playing,” Cardoso told Sundowns' media.

“You should remember that indeed this team last year played the final of the Champions League, but we knew that we had capacity and quality if we played in the right way to beat them. 

“And I think that tactically we approached the game in the right way so that we could at the same time that we could control their offensive capacity, we could shoot always look at the possibility of scoring a goal," added the Portuguese.

“It didn’t happen. We didn’t score but we were strong enough not to suffer. We were always strong enough to play the game according to what the game was asking of us.

“Myself I tried to help as much as possible. There was a moment where I obviously understood it was important to reinforce the back and close the game and the players were so professional and so capable of doing it that I can only praise them.

“We know that Al Ahly have won many Champions League trophies in the last seven or eight years. Last year, unfortunately, I lost a final against them. But I think it is possible to beat them,” continued the trainer who once coached in La Liga. 

“We need to play two very complete and strong games, focusing on the details for sure. We need to be strong and prepare ourselves in the best way. 

“The game against Al Ahly is not that far away, but we still have a Nedbank Cup semi-final to play, and that should be our focus now. We will then think about the Al Ahly game.”

This is the sixth straight season for Sundowns and Al Ahly to meet in Caf club competitions.

From 2019 to 2023, they were clashing in the Champions League before crossing paths in the African Football League last season.

Interestingly, Masandawana are the second Premier Soccer League opponents to confront Al Ahly this season after the Egyptian side was in the same group as Orlando Pirates earlier on.

Before facing Al Ahly on April 18 at home in the first-leg of the semi-finals, Sundowns host Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup last-four on Sunday.

It presents a testing moment for the Brazilians to see if they have the character to come out of those high-profile games unscathed.