The air around Chloorkop has grown thick with tension as Mamelodi Sundowns prepare for what could be a season-defining trip to the Stade TP Mazembe.
The mission is simple but daunting: face Saint-Eloi Lupopo this Sunday and salvage a CAF Champions League campaign that has veered dangerously off course.
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Following a stunning loss to Al Hilal last weekend, the Brazilians find themselves in a precarious position. For a club that treats continental dominance as a requirement rather than a goal, the current Total Energies CAF Champions League Group C standings make for grim reading.
The pressure isn’t just on the players; it’s squarely on the shoulders of head coach Miguel Cardoso. On the latest episode of Soccer Betting News, African football expert Mogale Sathekge didn’t mince words regarding the coach’s future.
“Cardoso’s job is on the line,” Sathekge warned. “I think mainly because of how he has been conducting himself and how he has been running the team.”
Sathekge’s critique centred on Cardoso’s team selection, suggesting the coach has struggled to adapt his choice in personnel to the specific demands of different tournaments.
This perceived lack of tactical consistency has left Sundowns with just one win from four group matches, leaving the door wide open for MC Alger to potentially leapfrog them into the qualification spots.
With MC Alger breathing down their necks just one point behind, Sundowns have zero margin for error. The atmosphere of the Stade TP Mazembe will provide a hostile backdrop for a team whose confidence has been shaken.
The highly anticipated encounter kicks off later this evening at 18h00.