Match: Mamelodi Sundowns v Esperance Sportive de Tunis
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Pretoria)
Time: 1 pm
Esperance’s home and away wins in the semi-finals last season over Mamelodi Sundowns was so sumptuous.
The Tunisians shocked everyone under current Masadawana head coach Miguel Cardozo. The Portuguese head coach tactically outsmarted Rulani Mokwena as he decided to sit back in both games and defended deeper, hitting the South Africans on the break.
Sundowns now have the Portuguese tactician as the man to help them lift their second Caf Champions League after failing to win in nearly a decade.
The South Africans have been superb recently, having left Orlando Pirates in their wake in the fight for the Betway Premiership title, even though they played four more games than the Bucs.
Sundowns are unbeaten at home in their last 19 games making the fixture a very difficult one for the Tunisians.
Stellenbosch was the last side to beat them when they narrowly pipped the Brazilians in August 2024 in the semi-finals of the MTN Top 8.
On the continent, ES Tunis was the last team to beat Sundowns in their backyard, as it serves as a huge motivation for the Beast of Africa.
Sundowns have not fared well in the group stage as they have been doing recently yet booked a place in the knockout stage.
52-year-old Tunisian tactician Maher Kanzari, who is just 14 days into the Esperance job, will have a huge task travelling to South Africa after replacing Romanian manager Laurentiu Reghecampf, who also lasted 132 days at the helm.
Esperance’s problem this season has been the inconsistencies shown by the coaching staff.
With just 5 matches to end the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, Esperance has won 53 points, just like Monastir and is on top of the log due to a superior head-to-head record.
Esperance’s only defeat so far in the CAF Champions League was the 2-1 defeat in Cairo against Pyramids.
With the likes of young goalkeeper Amanallah Memmiche, 18-year-old Ivorian midfielder Abdraramane Konate, veteran Algerian playmaker Youcef Belaili and Bafana Bafana forward Elias Mokwana and Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu available, Mamelodi sundowns must be wary of their threat because they have immense quality.
Lucas Ribeiro is someone the Brazilians will heavily rely on considering his great form so far in the current campaign, and with Shalulile and Rayners to support him in the attack.
The imperial Ronwen Williams will aim to keep a clean sheet against the Tunisians.
Grant Kekana and Lucas Suarez’s partnership at the heart of the defence has blossomed, and they are expected to play. Mokoena, Jayden Adams and Bravo Allende are to play in the middle for Cardozo, per multiple reports.
Head-2-Head
The teams have met eight times in the CAF Champions League since 2000. The Tunisians have won four, lost one and drawn three, giving them the upper hand in terms of head-to-head.
Predictions
Sundowns 2-1 Esperance
