Following Espérance de Tunis's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final, Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso took the opportunity to congratulate his players for their performance and call for focus ahead of the decisive return leg in Pretoria next Friday.

"It was a high-quality match between two of the best teams on the continent," Cardoso stated in the post-match press conference. "We delivered a tactically interesting performance that adhered to the game plan we had set out beforehand. I am extremely proud of what my players have accomplished tonight."

Cardoso emphasized that the match was decided on fine margins, acknowledging that luck sometimes played a role. "As expected, it came down to details where sometimes luck can play a part," he admitted. "But luck goes hand in hand with hard work, and that's what we demonstrated tonight."

Despite the victory, Cardoso also acknowledged that his team had some difficult moments. "We did some good things, but we also suffered and had some tough moments," he conceded. "But it is in these difficult moments that you see the character of the players and their ability to execute the game plan. They showed great solidarity and fighting spirit, and that's what allowed us to clinch this victory."

The Portuguese coach was keen to remind everyone that this is just the first leg and that anything is still possible. "It was only the first leg," he insisted. "There are still 90 minutes plus extra time to play in Pretoria, after which we can talk about the final. We know it will be a very difficult match, but we are determined to go for qualification."

Cardoso concluded by calling on his players for concentration and hard work for the return leg. "In three months we have accomplished things together, but we still have work to do and goals to achieve," he declared. "This team is built to improve from game to game in a calm manner. The next match will be very difficult for us as well as for Sundowns, so it is up to us to be united and supportive to overcome the challenge. Concentration, recovery, and hard work are the key words to achieve this."

The Espérance de Tunis players are aware of the stakes and the difficulty of the task that awaits them in Pretoria. They are determined to give their best to secure a place in the CAF Champions League final.