As they prepare to face Mamelodi Sundowns in their crucial CAF Champions League semi-final, Esperance de Tunis have reportedly prepared a tactical surprise for Masandawana.
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There will be a lot riding on the Blood and Gold's match-up against Sundowns on Friday night at Loftus Versfeld.
Not only is a place in the final of the Champions League up for grabs, but confirmation of each team's respective spot at next year's FIFA Club World Cup is also at stake.
Fortunately for Tunisia's record champions, they enter the second leg of the semi-final tie with a 1-0 lead courtesy of a Yan Sasse goal at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi last weekend, and it seems manager Miguel Cardoso will be approaching the decisive game with a defensive mind-set.
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According to Foot Africa, the Portuguese tactician has a tactical surprise in store for Rulani Mokwena and company, with Cardoso said to be planning to introduce additional defensive coverage in midfield, either with Nigerian Onuche Ogbelu or Tunisian Hani Amamou.
The latter has only played a single minute of continental club football this season, against Al Hilal in the group stage, while Ogbelu has not started a match in the knockout stages of the tournament so far, making his lone appearance at this stage of the competition as a substitute during the first leg of the semi-final.
The same report claims that Cardoso is yet to come to a conclusive decision regarding his starting XI for Friday's titanic tussle, and will only make those calls after the team's final training session at Loftus on Thursday evening.
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The away goals rule is still implemented in the CAF Champions League so if Sundowns are to progress during either regulation or extra-time, they will have to beat Esperance by two clear goals.
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