Cardoso optimistic Sundowns will get the job done in Morocco

Sowetan · May 18, 2026 · 376 words · By Neville Khoza

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What to know about Cardoso optimistic Sundowns will get the job done in Morocco

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has no reason not to believe his side can go to the Caf Champions League final second leg in Morocco against AS FAR and score a result.

Claims checked 4

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has no reason not to believe his side can go to the Caf Champions League final second leg in Morocco against AS FAR and score a result.

Why it matters

Sundowns have a slight advantage in the final after their 1-0 win over the Moroccan giants at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday thanks to Aubrey Modiba’s free kick in the first half.

Common ground

Masandawana need to avoid a defeat in the second leg to clinch the title and Cardoso, who is in his third final after losing the previous two editions, said they will have to take the energy of winning in the first leg to Morocco.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Cardoso optimistic Sundowns will get the job done in Morocco?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that thanks to Aubrey Modiba’s free kick in the first half?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.sowetan.co.za/sport/2026-05-18-cardoso-optimistic-sundowns-will-get-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 4 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

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Claim 1: “thanks to Aubrey Modiba’s free kick in the first half”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources confirm that Aubrey Modiba scored the winning goal via a free-kick (described as a 'stunner' and 'thunderbolt') in the match against AS FAR.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2023–24 was Mamelodi Sundowns' 28th consecutive season in the South African Premier Division.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023–24_Mamelodi_Sundowns_F.C.…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Aubrey "Postman" Modiba (born 22 July 1995) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a left-midfielder and left-back for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League and South Afri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_Modiba

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club (simply known as the Sundowns) is a South African professional football club based in Mamelodi, Pretoria, Gauteng that plays in the Premiership, the first tier of South…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamelodi_Sundowns_F.C.

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “Sundowns have a slight advantage in the final after their 1-0 win over the Moroccan giants at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm Mamelodi Sundowns defeated AS FAR 1-0 in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final. ESPN and other news reports explicitly mention the 1-0 scoreline and the match context.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024–25 season was Mamelodi Sundowns' 29th consecutive season in the South African Premiership. Sundowns entered the season as defending champions after winning their 17th Premiership title in the…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_Mamelodi_Sundowns_F.C.…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–26 CAF Champions League, officially the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for sponsorship purposes, is the 62nd season of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confedera…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_CAF_Champions_League

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 CAF Champions League final is the two-legged final of the 2025–26 CAF Champions League, the 62nd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_CAF_Champions_League_fina…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “the second leg in Morocco against AS FAR”

CORROBORATED

A cross-reference from Timeslive and an ESPN report both confirm that the second leg of the final takes place in Morocco (specifically mentioning Rabat).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies Football Club is a women's professional soccer club based in Pretoria, South Africa. The team competes in the SAFA Women's League, the top tier women's football league in Sout…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamelodi_Sundowns_Ladies_F.C.

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+ 4 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Cardoso, who is in his third final after losing the previous two editions”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources explicitly state that coach Miguel Cardoso has previously lost two Champions League finals and is now appearing in his third.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 CAF Champions League final were the final matches of the 2023–24 CAF Champions League, the 60th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_CAF_Champions_League_fina…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 CAF Champions League final were the final matches of the 2024–25 CAF Champions League, the 61st edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_CAF_Champions_League_fina…

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.