Cardoso urges Sundowns to turn MTN8 semi-final pain into energy

Mamelodi Sundowns manager Miguel Cardoso says the disappointment of their 1-0 home defeat by Golden Arrows must provide the motivation for a comeback in the second leg of their MTN8 semi-final.

Junior Dion scored the only goal at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday, leaving Sundowns needing to overturn a one-goal deficit when the teams meet again at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban.

The second leg will take place on Sunday at 15:00, with Cardoso hoping the frustration felt after the first match will inspire his players to produce a stronger performance.

“I just hope that the pain I feel today is also felt by the players, because if the pain I feel is felt by the players, there will be a lot of energy next week,” Cardoso said.

The Portuguese coach admitted the result had affected him deeply but stressed that the tie remains open, with another 90 minutes still to be played.

“Today is a very, very difficult day for me, I confess. This pain must be transformed into positive energy because there’s still 90 minutes to play.”

Despite the loss, Cardoso believes Sundowns displayed the determination required to recover from the setback. He said the team continued fighting until the final whistle and that their character could yet become decisive in Durban.

“I think the team was committed and fought until the end … that’s the character we need to have.

“We need to understand that character will speak for us in the next match. It’s halftime, but already this season we’ve found ourselves losing matches at halftime and winning in the end.”

Cardoso’s side will not have a direct run-up to the second leg, however, as they must first return to league action against AmaZulu.

Sundowns will host AmaZulu at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, with kick-off scheduled for 19:30. Cardoso said that match would demand the same level of concentration, even though the MTN8 tie remains an important focus.

“For now we need to focus on how we are going to approach the AmaZulu match because it will be another difficult outing,” Cardoso said.

The fixture will give Sundowns an opportunity to respond to the disappointment at Lucas Moripe Stadium before they travel to Durban for the decisive semi-final encounter.

Golden Arrows’ victory means they hold the advantage after the opening match, but Cardoso remains confident Sundowns can change the outcome. He pointed to previous occasions this season when his team had been behind at half-time in a match but ultimately finished as winners.

For now, the immediate challenge is AmaZulu, followed by the task of overturning Dion’s goal and securing a place in the MTN8 final.

(Source: Sowetan)