Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is banking on familiarity when the Brazilians take on Zesco United at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday.
Sundowns have played against the Zambian side three times in friendlies, twice in Zambia and once in Pretoria. One of the matches they played against them in Zambia was at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, where Zesco are unbeaten in the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
Only Wydad Casablanca returned from the same vanue without a defeat. Mosimane will be target something similar so that they wrap up the semi-finals in the second leg in Pretoria and advance to the final for the first time since 2001.
"We have played here in this pitch before, two years ago," Mosimane said. "We know it. It's just that we have changed the personnel. We've brought in some new players who might not know the pitch.
"It's one of the best pitches you can find on the road. We've played in other pitches, in Dolisie (Congo-Brazzaville) and Ghana.
"We can't complain about the pitch. Once you play Champions League - you complain about the pitch, hotel and referees, then you've almost lost the match. You have to look beyond those circumstances and take whatever that you face. The distance is also not that bad from South Africa."