Mamelodi Sundowns will look to complete an eight-match unbeaten run over Al Ahly when they host them in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-finals at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon. Kick-off is at 3:00pm.
Heading to their first meeting since 2023, the Brazilians will look to maintain their recent dominance over their Al Ahly counterparts by winning at home before heading to Cairo, Egypt for the return fixture.
Looking ahead to the highly anticipated encounter, coach Miguel Cardoso admitted that the meeting will not be a walk in the park, but the past results have given him the belief and confidence that Downs can emerge triumphant.
“We have a tough competition ahead against such a strong team. This game is undeniably a challenge, but we have to beat it. The club has won against Al Ahly in the past, so we will try our best to get a positive result. From then on, we will hope that we can compete in the final and play several league matches with the hopes of raising trophies,” he said.
The aim in this meeting for the Brazilians, will not only be to win at home, but to also display a performance that can set the world alight. The coach is confident that his charges can do exactly that, despite the successful record their rivalries hold in the Champions League.
“We know that Al Ahly in the last seven years have won a lot of Champions League titles. Last year, I unfortunately lost in the final against them, but I think beating them is a possibility. We will, however, need to make two very complete games, two strong games that will be played on the details. So, we will need to be strong and prepare ourselves in the best way possible,” added Cardoso.
