Pressure mounts as Sundowns take on Lupopo in crucial Group C clash

Success has been the remedy that has soothed all at Mamelodi Sundowns for many years over the past decade, and with all those achievements and the joy that came with them now under threat of being undone in just one season, the Brazilians could be heading into one of their most crucial matches in recent memory.

In what is expected to be their most demanding away fixture of the CAF Champions League group stage, Sundowns will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo for a tricky encounter against Saint Eloi Lupopo at the TP Mazembe Stadium on Sunday (3pm kickoff).

Group C remains tightly contested as the group stage nears its final stages. Al Hilal lead the standings with eight points, while MC Alger’s 2-1 victory over the Sudanese side on Friday has intensified the pressure on Sundowns, who now sit two points behind the Algerian side. Lupopo currently occupy the bottom spot with four points.

Qualification for the knockout rounds still hangs in the balance, but with the margin for error growing thinner by the game, here we will break down the three talking points ahead of the all important match on Sunday.

Opportunity to strengthen qualification hopes

Sundowns head into the match on the back of a narrow Nedbank Cup last-32 victory over Motsepe Foundation Championship side Gomora United. While the result secured their progression, the performance did little to ease growing pressure from supporters calling for more convincing displays in both results and overall play.

Attention now shifts firmly to the Champions League, where this fixture carries far greater significance, with Sundowns currently sitting third in the group and facing what has become a must-win encounter.

With their final group-stage encounter against Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger — a coach who knows Sundowns intimately — still to come, the Brazilians need to understand that a positive result in Congo is essential to keep their qualification destiny firmly in their own hands.

Hostile away environment

The trip to DR Congo is expected to be anything but easy. Sundowns will be the second South African side to face Lupopo away this season after Orlando Pirates’ visit in the preliminary rounds — a match that later saw CAF sanction both teams following several incidents, with Pirates losing 3–0.

While Sundowns claimed a solid 3–1 victory in the earlier group-stage meeting, Lupopo have proven to be a different proposition at home, where they recorded their only group win so far with a 1–0 triumph over MC Alger.

The TP Mazembe Stadium atmosphere is likely to pose a significant challenge for the 2016 champions, but Sundowns will be expected to lean on their squad depth, quality, and years of experience playing across the continent to navigate the occasion successfully.

Pressure mounts on Cardoso

Throughout the season, Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso has consistently defended his team’s performances, insisting that their challenges have not been as serious as they might appear from the outside. Despite the criticism, Sundowns remain second in the domestic league standings, firmly in the title race, and have advanced to the Nedbank Cup last 16.

This weekend’s fixture carries significant weight for the club’s ambitions in the tournament and could also impact Cardoso’s future, given the clubs long-standing commitment to success and minimal leeway for underperformance.