New head coach Miguel Cardoso started his reign at Mamelodi Sundowns with a 1-0 win over Raja Casablanca in the CAF Champions League group stages on Sunday afternoon.
CAF Champions League
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Raja Casablanca
Date: 15 December 2024
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
New coach Miguel Cardoso made five changes to the side that drew with FAR Rabat, as Divine Lunga, Neo Maema, Mosa Lebusa and Sphelele Mkhulise were brought in.
Sundowns had a slow start in the early exchanges and were put under pressure by Raja, who threatened more to get an early goal.
The Brazilians only showed a glimpse of what they can do going forward on the half-hour mark after Lucas Ribeiro Costa went through on goal from a reverse pass by Iqraam Rayners but Abdellah Khafifi made an unbelievable tackle from behind that denied the Brazilian to have a shot at goalkeeper Anas Zniti.
There was a water break in the scorching heat a moment later which affected the momentum of the game.
After the refreshment interval, Raja decided to sit back with numbers and invited Masandawana but the hosts could not increase the intensity of their attacks and the sides went to the half-time break deadlocked.
The Portuguese coach made a tactical and attacking change at half-time as Kutlwano Letlhaku replaced Mkhulise for more creativity upfront.
The Brazilians were more lively after the change as Letlhaku made an immediate impact, with the 18-year-old inspired Sundowns to take the lead on 65 minutes after his cut-back was finished by Iqraam Rayners on the edge of the box, with a first-time shot that went in off the bottom post.
Raja were desperate to get back into the game and opened up some spaces at the back and with 13 minutes to go, Costa should have buried the game for Masandawana after he went clear on goal but Zniti pulled off a point-blank save.
The Brazilians surprisingly withdrew Rayners with ten minutes remaining, as Lebohang Maboe came on in a tactical change.
The Tshwane giants managed and slowed down the tempo of the match in the dying minutes and held on to a narrow win.
Sundowns climbed up to the top of Group B with five points while the Green Eagles remained bottom with one point.
Here's how they lined up:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Khoza, Lebusa, Mokoena, Mudau, Lunga, Maema, Mkhulise, Allende, Rayners, Ribeiro
Subs: Onyango, Saavedra, Sales, Mashego, Letlhaku, De Reuck, Morena, Shalulile, Maboe
