Miguel Cardoso calls for patience as injuries disrupt Mamelodi Sundowns’ start

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has urged supporters to give his side time to rediscover their best form after injuries and personnel changes disrupted the beginning of their campaign.

Sundowns were held to a 1-1 draw by Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday, ending their perfect start to the Betway Premiership season. Langelihle Phili put Amakhosi ahead before Cassius Mailula equalised for the reigning African champions.

The result means Sundowns remain unbeaten. They have won two of their opening three matches in all competitions and drawn the other, although their performances have not yet matched the dominant standards they have established in recent seasons.

Cardoso said the absence of several important players had made it difficult for the team to maintain continuity, particularly after Sundowns’ CAF Champions League success.

The Brazilians were without a number of players who played a significant role in that triumph when they faced Kaizer Chiefs. Cardoso believes the changes have forced him to search for solutions before his squad has had the opportunity to settle.

“This team suffered changes by accident, we lost Keanu (Cupido) who was a very important asset to the organisation and we lost our Jayden Adams and that is obviously a big bridge in the middle so we have to see if we can bring someone who can cover the options in the middle,” he said at the press conference.

Adams’ absence has been particularly influential. The midfielder has become an important part of Sundowns’ structure since joining the club, leaving Cardoso with a significant gap to address in the centre of the team.

The Portuguese coach also highlighted the fitness and form of other players as reasons why Sundowns have yet to reach their usual level.

“Nuno (Santos) is currently not in a good moment and Teboho (Mokoena) wasn’t available as well due to injuries so I think people shouldn’t expect these things to happen automatically, we have to work on it and give it time,” he added.

Cardoso’s comments came after a match in which Sundowns had to recover from falling behind against Kaizer Chiefs. Sphelele Mkhulise was also involved in the contest, being challenged by Langelihle Phili during the Betway Premiership fixture at FNB Stadium.

Although the draw extended Sundowns’ unbeaten run, Cardoso accepts there is still work to do before his side consistently performs at the level expected of the reigning African champions.

The immediate task is to establish the right balance while injured players return and new combinations develop. Sundowns must also adjust to the changes that have affected the squad since their CAF Champions League triumph.

For Cardoso, the early results are not necessarily evidence of a crisis. Instead, he views them as part of the process of rebuilding a team affected by injuries, departures and changes in personnel.

With the campaign still in its early stages, the Sundowns manager believes greater continuity and time on the training ground will allow his players to improve.