Linda Moreotsene

Linda Moreotsene

South African champions SuperSport United will face Mauritian team Curepipe Starlight away on Sunday in a CAF Champions League first round, second leg match without Elias Pelembe.

Kickoff is at 3.30pm (11am South African time).

But even without the Mozambican magician, taking a 3-0 cushion to the Stade George V is a big advantage for Gavin Hunt's troops.

Pelembe was on international duty on Wednesday where he scored in Mozambique's 2-0 victory over Malawi, and could not join the rest of the team who departed on Thursday morning.

But then again, United were stunningly whipped 3-1 by Thanda Royal Zulu in a league match on Saturday - a match that should have served as a dry run for Sunday's encounter.

United captain Bongani Khumalo said his team would not be lulled into a false sense of security by the three goals they scored at home, and emphasised that they had gone out of their way to learn everything about the Mauritian side and the conditions they would encounter.

Hunt has rested the likes of Brent Carelse, Tefera Fikru and Anthony Laffor in matches leading up to this one, and they would be depended on to carry Matsatsantsa a Pitori in unfamiliar territory.

"We will have to carry on from where we left off in the first leg on Sunday.

"We do not know anything about what we will find there - the atmosphere, their fans or even the pitch - but all that would not distract us from doing what we came to do," said Khumalo.