‘We have big respect for Ahly but we always believed,’ said the Sundowns head coach.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso said trusting themselves was the main reason his side had managed to overcome the odds and make the Caf Champions League final.
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Sundowns drew 1-1 with Al Ahly in Cairo on Friday in the second leg of their semifinal, to progress on the away goals rule following a 0-0 draw at Loftus in the first leg.
Late joy for Sundowns
Sundowns trailed for most of the match to Taher Mohamed’s first half strike at the Cairo International Stadium. But in front of a fervent home crowd they fought their way back and an own goal from Yasser Ibrahim in the 90th minute saw the Ahly supporters stunned into silence.
“Trust,” said Cardoso several times when asked what was key to making it through in his post-match TV interview.
“Trust in the way we have been living this experience together, trust in the quality of each other, in the game plan for this match. That even when we were losing 1-0 we could score. Trust that was has happened in the past was history.”
This is the first time Sundowns have made the Champions League final since 2016, when they won the competition for the first and only time so far under Pitso Mosimane,
Cardoso’s side will now play another Egyptian side Pyramids in the final, after they beat Orlando Pirates 3-2 on aggregate later on Friday.
Cardoso also admitted he was a little surprised Ahly had played quite defensively at home, especially after going 1-0 up.
“I was surprised but I understand,” he added.
‘We were more aggressive’
“I think in the lsat eight matches, now nine, Ahly had not beaten Sundowns. They had to be careful … they knew suffering a goal could make their castle fall down.
“We suffered from a mistake (with Ahly’s goal). We made a lot of changes and in the second half we lost a bit of creativity but we were more aggressive up front. I think we totally deserved this. We have big respect for Ahly but we always believed.”
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For Cardoso, this is a second successive Champions League final, after he also led Esperance to the final of last season’s competition.
They lost out to Al Ahly, no doubt making this victory taste even sweeter for the Portuguese coach.
“To reach the final two years in a row is fantastic for me as a coach,” said Cardoso.
“I am thankful to the (Sundowns) players and to my family at home.”
