Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says his side has a lot of hard work ahead of them, despite claiming a win over Esperance in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.

The Brazilians secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Esperance thanks to a goal by Peter Shalulile at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday.

The Tshwane giant will now travel to Radès when they face the same opponents at the Stade Olympique de Radès on Tuesday, April 8.

Cardoso was delighted with the victory but will not celebrate too early, as they still have the second leg to look forward to, despite going into the clash with a one-goal lead.

“I think the first half we were not very clever on the way we had to play, because the things that we knew we had to put on the pitch, we didn’t,” Cardoso told SABC Sport after the game.

“So we ran away from the plan that we had defined that’s important to do. When you do it, it’s obvious you’ll not play the game you want to play.

“Anyway, we controlled the first half, then I think in the second one we did in the first 20 minutes what we needed to do and out of that we got something, the goal, and was at moment that I felt we played what we wanted to play.

“Then again we went on not the best emotions and we could have continued with the same style that we wanted to have in order to go for the second goal.

“But anyway, we also need to understand the game what game we were playing and what team we were playing. The tie is in a half (halftime), we have hard work ahead of us, but it’s better go with a 1-0 rather than a 1-1 or a 0-0. So I’m not really excited but conscious about what have ahead and about what we got.”