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Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says his team will not focus on the gamesmanship that is likely to be brought by their opponents FC Saint Eloi Lupopo on Saturday.
The two teams will meet in a CAF Champions League Group C encounter at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Sundowns will kick off their group campaign with the tricky fixture against FC Saint Eloi Lupopo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday.
The Congolese knocked out Orlando Pirates in the preliminary round but were heavily criticised for their antics and gamesmanship that frustrated the Buccaneers.
But Sundowns Coach Miguel Cardoso says they will not fall into the same trap.
“You remember last year when we played home against Esperance that there was a clash between the players and how I was aggressive on taking them out of that mix-up, because I want the players to keep their minds on the focus, their behaviour.”
Having beaten last season’s Champions League semi-finalists Pirates, Cardoso says the Congolese should not be underestimated.
“It’s a very honest team with quality and when these teams, playing at home due to the conditions and the pitches and the climate that we play under, and those teams become stronger in their home matches.”
The Brazilians, who won the title in 2016, will be bidding to win it again this season after they fell short in the final last season, losing to the Egyptians, Pyramids.
But Cardoso says they should take it one game at a time.
“It’s important that we win the group stages and to win the group stages we must win the first match,” he says.
Sundowns did not have the best start in the group stage last season, drawing against another team from the DRC, Maniema at home.
But midfielder Marcelo Allende says they want to hit the ground running against Lupopo.
“We know, I think everybody knows in the club, the players, the technical team how important this tournament is, and I think starting with the three points is the most important in our minds.”
The match will kick off at 3pm on Saturday, and it will be broadcast live on SABC 2.
