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Cardoso: Beating Sundowns Was Special Moment

  • April 29, 2024
  • 2 min read
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Cardoso: Beating Sundowns Was Special Moment

Reaching the CAF Champions League final, a historic ninth for Espérance Sportive de Tunis, held a personal significance for coach Miguel Cardoso.

The Tunisian side secured a convincing 2-0 aggregate victory over Mamelodi Sundowns, with a 1-0 win at Loftus Stadium on Friday. They now face defending champions Al Ahly in the final, with the first leg on 18 May and the second leg on 25 May.

Cardoso, appointed manager in January, couldn’t hide his emotions when reflecting on the achievement, but quickly deflected credit to his team.

“This is a very important moment for me personally,” the Portuguese coach admitted, his voice thick with emotion. “But the true credit goes to my players. They displayed immense courage and determination on the pitch. My role is to guide them and help them reach their full potential.”

Humble and clear-eyed, Cardoso emphasized the challenge: “Winning here in Pretoria against a team of Sundowns’ caliber is no easy feat. We faced adversity and some luck was involved. However, as I always say, luck favors the prepared. And believe me, my players have worked incredibly hard to get here.”

Despite the historic qualification’s joy, Cardoso urged his team to refocus: “We must quickly turn our attention back to the domestic league championship. Winning the Tunisian title remains our primary objective. We have a crucial match against (CS Sfaxien) on Wednesday, and we need to be fully prepared to give it our all again.”

Cardoso also addressed the fans: “The support of the Espérance faithful is vital. Your unwavering support allows us to achieve great things. Together, we can write a new chapter in this legendary club’s history.”

Cardoso’s speech was a unifying call to action, reflecting a team hungry for victory and determined to continue their journey. Esperance, a four-time Champions League winner, including consecutive titles in 2017/18 and 2018/19, aims to add another trophy to their cabinet.

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