Sundowns VS ES Tunis: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Sundowns VS ES Tunis Date: Tuesday, April 1
BetXchange Sundowns VS ES Tunis Odds:
History
Mamelodi Sundowns face Esperance de Tunis on Tuesday in the first leg of their CAF Champions League Quarter Final clash. The Sundowns and the Orlando Pirates are flying the flag for the rest of Africa, with six of the eight quarter-final teams from North Africa.
This is arguably the most anticipated clash of the round. The Downs sit at the top of the Betway Premiership, while Esperance looks down on the rest from the summit of the Liga Professionnelle in Tunisia.
These are also two squads with pedigree in the CAF Champions League. Esperence are serial winners. They last won the comp in 2019, adding to previous victories in 2018, 2011, and 1994. Sundowns’ lone trophy to date was claimed at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.
Sundowns will host the first leg, finishing runner-up in Group B behind AS FAR (Morocco). They qualified ahead of Raja Casablanca (Morocco) and Maniema Union (DR Congo).
Esperance won Group D with 13 points from the available 18. They qualified ahead of Pyraminds (Egypt) on the slightly weird tiebreaker of goal difference in head-to-head matches. This is why they were on top, even though Pyramids had a better goal difference through the six games played.
Sagrada Esperance (Angola) and Djoliba (Mali) finished third and fourth in the group.
Sundowns
The Brazilians have a huge first-team squad, which is vital as they continue to battle on multiple fronts. Their 1-0 extra-time win over Sekhukhune United in the quarter final of the Nedbank Cup came through a goal from midfielder Jayden Adams. Adams will again be expected to sparkle on Tuesday.
Concerns about overall fatigue are merited, but manager Miguel Cardoso, a former boss of ES Tunis, has done a masterful job of rotating his side while keeping everybody happy.
ES Tunis
The Blood and Gold club will not be at full strength for this highly anticipated clash. Starting right back Mohamed Ben Ali and influential midfielder Roger Aholou will both miss out on Tuesday through injury. These players are essential cogs in the machine, with Ben Ali providing four assists in 18 games this season.
Three players are back in contention for a place tomorrow. Rodrigo Rodrigues, Achraf Jebri, and Mohamed Amine Tougai have all returned from injury in time for this one.
Elias Mokwana’s play will be something to watch out for. The South African player has scored three goals and had a pair of assists for Esperance in the CAF Champions League so far this season.
Best Bets
History suggests this could be any result other than a win for the Brazilians. In four prior matches between the two sides, ES Tunis is unbeaten against Masandawana.
Sundowns are looking for revenge against a squad that beat them 1-0 in each leg of the 2024 CAF semifinals. This competition still used the away goals rule, so Downs knew that they could not afford to concede in this first leg.
Expect a tight, cagey affair with few goals. I like the hosts to win 1-0 or 2-1.
