After a devastating 5–1 home loss to South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League, head coach Thiago Conde remains adamant that his team’s journey is not finished.
The Portuguese manager admitted that his players struggled to stick to the tactical setup but maintained that the situation can still be turned around in the return fixture. He applauded their determination despite the setback and said the focus is now on improving their overall play ahead of the trip to Pretoria.
“We are going to understand what went wrong, both individually and collectively, correct those mistakes, and draw a plan for the next game. The difference of four goals is difficult, we know, but it’s not impossible,” he said.
Conde also emphasized the huge gap in experience and structure between both clubs, explaining that his side is still learning the ropes in continental football.
“You cannot compare the story of Mamelodi Sundowns in this competition with that of Remo Stars. They have higher-quality players and more resources, and that helps them do different things. We have our resources, and we fight with what we have.”
He further noted that the team failed to fully carry out their match plan, which allowed the visitors to dominate key moments of the game.
“In terms of strategy for this game, we cannot say the players really did what they were supposed to do. We know these kinds of games are dangerous because small mistakes can change everything.”
Even with the defeat, Conde remains hopeful that his team can redeem themselves in the second leg.
“If we correct the individual and collective mistakes, we can get a different result,” he concluded. “It’s normal in football, and we just have to work hard and believe.”
He lamented the costly defensive errors and lapses in focus that left his team exposed, saying such mistakes are always punished by top-class opponents.
“You cannot make individual mistakes in games like this because they have players of higher quality who will always punish you,” he said.
According to him, a few missed chances early in the second half could have given his side a lifeline. “We went into half-time two goals down, and when we came back, we had two or three chances to score. If we had taken them, it could have been a different story.”
The team will now travel to Pretoria for the decisive second leg on October 26, needing an exceptional performance to overcome the four-goal deficit and keep their CAF Champions League ambitions alive.
