‘We need to have good control of the match in terms of ball possession,’ he said.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso knows his side face a stern test when they take on Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout last 16 clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
The Brazilians were frustrated by Bahlabane ba Ntwa and held to a 1-1 draw in a Betway Premiership at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium last month, and Cardoso has stressed the need for tactical discipline if they are to avoid another setback.
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“We need to understand that their game is hard to control in terms of pressing the spaces upfront. We need to have good control of the match in terms of ball possession,” he said at Thursday’s Carling Knockout press briefing in Bryanston.
“We need to understand that the moment we lose the ball, we need to be very strong to cope not only with counterpress but with the defence and controlling the space behind our defence. From there, it’s a matter of positive emotions by trying to deal with the pitch we’re going to play on.
“We need to be much more aggressive and more controlling. We don’t expect Marumo to be a different team because that’s how they have been playing throughout the season but we should expect a different Sundowns and the players will know what kind of game we had.”
Sundowns are desperate to make amends after missing out on the MTN8 this season. Their previous Carling Knockout campaign ended in heartbreak with a 2-1 defeat to Magesi FC in the final.
Gallants, meanwhile, have proven tough to beat, drawing four of their last five matches with one defeat. However, Sundowns will take confidence from their recent 4-1 demolition of Richards Bay at home, a result that restored some belief from their fans.
“We have an obligation to fight and win all the competitions. We all know that we played Marumo recently away and we all know that they haven’t lost against us, Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs, so we expect a tough match,” Cardoso added.
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“We are preparing the best way and I had a chance this week to prepare a match with three training sessions, which is unique for us. We should understand what kind of game we have to play and the level of intensity we need to put in from the beginning so that we don’t give too many chances for Marumo to threaten us.”
