Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says his team’s 5-1 victory over Nigerian champions Remo Stars in Abeokuta doesn’t diminish his respect for Nigerian football.

“Despite the scoreline, we need to respect this team. Remo Stars are a high-level team, they are the champions of Nigeria. We respect Nigerian football, we respect Remo Stars, and we remain focused on what lies ahead,” Cardoso said after the game.

The Portuguese tactician explained that Sundowns’ first goal came from a rehearsed pattern the team had practised repeatedly in training. He said facing a side that marks man-to-man across the pitch demanded patience, movement, and intelligence.

“It’s not easy to play against a team that marks man-to-man all over the pitch,” he said. “We had to find the fast break many times, to identify the third man and create space for a free player, with a lot of mobility and precision.”

Cardoso praised his players for carrying out their tactical plan with precision and maintaining intensity throughout the match. He added that scoring five goals against the Nigerian champions was a reflection of his players’ professionalism and focus.

“The players understood very well what we worked on since the first day of preparation for this match,” he said. “Of course, we could have avoided conceding, but I think the result is fair overall. Scoring five goals against the champions of Nigeria is not easy.”

Despite the overwhelming advantage ahead of the return leg in Pretoria, Cardoso made it clear that Sundowns will not allow complacency to creep in. He said respecting football means taking every game seriously, no matter the scoreline.

“The scoreline is big, yes, but we respect football, and respecting football means approaching the second leg as seriously as possible. The qualifying round is not finished. We still have a responsibility, and I can assure you that Sundowns will be as serious in the return match as we were today,” he said.

Cardoso also credited his players’ mental strength and fitness for sustaining their dominance deep into the game.

“Even at half-time, we spoke about the energy needed to bring into the second half, even though we were already two goals up,” he explained. “They showed heart and commitment and fought until the end to make the score as big as possible.”

With a 5-1 lead heading into the second leg on October 26, Mamelodi Sundowns have one foot in the next round of the CAF Champions League qualifiers.