Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says they must make dreams of Mpheni Home Defenders not become a reality by beating them and book their spot in the quarter-finals. 

The Brazilians are set to face Defenders in the round of 16 of the Nedbank Cup at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday. 

The Premiership champions reached the round of 16 after beating Sibanye Golden Stars, while Mpheni defeated Hungry Lions in the round of 32. “It’s a great achievement, I think that’s what I have to say on this occasion when you are going to face a team like that one we are going to play,” Cardoso said ahead of their game against Mpheni Home Defenders. 

“It’s a team that for sure comes with ambition and dream. It’s our job not to allow that one dream to come true, and we just need to focus more on what to do in the match so that we can control the match with the results. 

“In this kind of competition results are always tricky, if one team believes that they are stronger they will come stronger. 

“I think that’s what we are going to focus on, the right attitude to face the game and that’s what is more important for us so that we can control the opponent and achieve the results in the competition.” 

Previously, Sundowns hammered lower division side Powerlines 24 in the 2011/12 season where they reached the final, losing to SuperSport United just like it was last season to Orlando Pirates. 

 “We have big respect for all our opponents, and I don’t believe this kind of score line [24-0 against Powerlines] will ever happen again for sure,” the former Espérance Sportive de Tunis coach added. 

“So, what I believe is that we have to fight to get the good results. But most of all we need to understand the moment, and the moment is also for us to provide an opportunity to players that haven’t played for so long and provide rest to the ones that have been playing because they need to recover. 

“At the same time, we know the challenge of such a game and we also need to perform at the highest level for us to get the results. So, our focus is first on the results so that we’ll go through in the competition. 

“The second focus is building a team that will have dignity in the pitch and be so much stronger as possible. If we play these types of games I think we’ll get what we are focusing on more.”