Mamelodi Sundowns overcame a stubborn Esperance side to claim a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final, played at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday afternoon.
The game bore early similarities to last season's semi-final, where Esperance's defensive resilience led to two 1-0 wins over Sundowns.
The visitors' frustrating tactics silenced the home crowd while energizing their travelling fans.
However, Sundowns maintained their composure, sticking to the patient approach.
PETER SHALULILE’S GOAL IN THE SECOND HALF
Their persistence paid off when Peter Shalulile, inching closer to the Premier Soccer League's all-time scoring record, broke the deadlock ten minutes after halftime.
From that point, Esperance struggled to create meaningful attacks, often appearing bereft of ideas against a well-organized Sundowns defense.
Cardoso's compact 4-3-3 formation proved highly effective, limiting the influence of key Esperance players like Elias Mokwana, Yann Sasse, and Youcef Belaili.
This victory provides Sundowns with a valuable lead as they prepare for the second leg in Tunisia, where they will look to secure their spot in the semi-finals of Africa's premier club competition.
Sundowns will face off against Esperance in the return leg on Tuesday, 8 April at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi at 9 PM.
Meanwhile, the other South African side in the competition – Orlando Pirates will take on MC Alger in the quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday, 1 April at the Stade du 5 Juillet at 9 PM.
