Miguel Cardoso not underestimating minnows Gomora United | OneFootball

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Cardoso not taking Gomora lightly

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is not underestimating minnows Gomora United ahead of their Nedbank Cup Round of 32 clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.

The Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit cut their professional teeth in the ongoing season after gaining promotion to the second tier by virtue of winning the ABC Motsepe League Play-offs.

Gomora sit 12th with 19 points from 17 league outings and are currently enduring a four-game winless run ahead of their cup tie against the South African champions.

Though Sundowns are firm favourites to progress to the next stage of the competition, Cardoso is leaving no stone unturned, warning against complacency.

“Theoretically we should be better than Gomora, but if we don't take ourselves to the limit - this theoretically doesn't exist. The theory stays in the books and doesn't go inside the four lines [pitch] to play a football match,” said the Downs mentor.

"We played against this team and we did it with two teams. It was a day that we had two teams we invited at Chloorkop to play two friendly matches, so we split our team. At half time we changed the teams so that we have a double challenge in terms of tactical approach.

"The first match at half-time we had a positive result, and then when we swapped the teams the second team didn't start good and I remember I was walking from one pitch to another and when I arrived I just saw a goal from Gomora. In the end the boys made the job and changed the results.

"It means that we need to be really committed in what we do in this match. So, we should focus on ourselves in the right way but take the right mindset inside the pitch and for that we made a big analysis on the opponent, exactly the way we prepare for Champions League matches.

Sundowns will be keen to go a step further in the Nedbank Cup, having been knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual champions Kaizer Chiefs last season.