Miguel Cardoso raises alarm over Mamelodi Sundowns defence ahead of Kaizer Chiefs battle

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has admitted that his defence is a concern ahead of Saturday’s mouth-watering clash against Kaizer Chiefs, after the champions conceded four goals in their last two matches.

The Brazilians opened their league campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday, but while Cardoso was pleased to secure maximum points, he was unhappy with the manner in which his team has allowed opponents to breach their defence.

Sundowns had also conceded twice against Polokwane City in their MTN8 encounter before letting in two more against Galaxy. Cardoso believes those defensive lapses must be addressed quickly, with a meeting against Chiefs at FNB Stadium now looming.

“It’s quite rare that we suffer two goals. Unfortunately, in the last two games, two shots and two goals. It is not something that makes me happy; we have to correct it as a team. We must have the right behaviour when we defend high and when we defend set pieces,” Cardoso told the media during the post-match press conference.

The Portuguese tactician warned that continued defensive errors could prove costly as Sundowns pursue their ambitions across a demanding campaign.

“When we suffer two, we have a high risk of losing the match, and obviously, we cannot lose points now, otherwise it will be a problem.

“But at the moment, two matches played, two victories. We get the energy from the victories.”

Mkhulise rescues Sundowns

Despite their defensive shortcomings, Sundowns showed their attacking quality to overcome Galaxy, with substitute Sphelele Mkhulise emerging as the unlikely match-winner.

Mkhulise came off the bench and struck twice in quick succession to turn the game in Sundowns’ favour, while Brayan Leon also found the net. Victor Letsoalo scored both goals for the hosts as Galaxy pushed the visitors all the way.

Cardoso was particularly delighted with Mkhulise’s contribution and praised the midfielder for making an immediate impact after being introduced.

“It’s beautiful to see Pitso score two goals coming from the bench. The boy deserves all the luck because he is not only a fantastic player but also a fantastic boy,” he said.

“We love him so much, and I even carried him on my shoulders in front of the supporters to make him understand that we love him.

“He carried us through the match, and we have to reward him in front of the supporters.”

Title mission begins

Sundowns are determined to reclaim the league crown after Orlando Pirates ended their dominance last season, adding extra significance to their strong start.

Cardoso acknowledged the challenges his side faced during the previous campaign but insisted that Sundowns remain committed to competing for every major honour.

“Last year we didn’t win the league, there were a lot of things we had to fight for throughout the competition. Everybody knows that it was a tough year and there were many factors.

“But we think we did very well in the end to fight throughout the season in the Champions League, where, in the end, we got that trophy.”

With Chiefs next on the agenda, Cardoso will now hope his players can combine their attacking firepower with greater defensive discipline as Sundowns look to make it two league wins from two.