Cardoso targets another home landmark as Sundowns extend unbeaten league run

Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso will take charge of his 98th match for Mamelodi Sundowns when Siwelele visit Loftus Versfeld at 19h30, with the fixture providing another opportunity to underline his remarkable home record in the league.

The match is the first of three that will take Cardoso to 100 games in charge of Sundowns. He has yet to suffer a home league defeat since taking over on 10 December 2024.

During that period, Sundowns have played 27 Betway Premiership matches at home, winning 24 and drawing three. The 15-time PSL champions have collected 75 points from a possible 81 in those fixtures.

Only Kaizer Chiefs, Stellenbosch and Orlando Pirates have managed to leave the capital with a share of the points. The record illustrates the scale of the challenge facing visiting teams in Tshwane, where Sundowns have become exceptionally difficult to beat.

Cardoso’s first home league match did not arrive until his 10th game in charge. It ended in a convincing 4-0 victory over Golden Arrows on 2 February 2025.

Sundowns’ last home defeat in the league came against Cape Town City in May 2024, while Rulani Mokwena was still manager. That match was the final game of the season and had little at stake because Sundowns had already secured the league title.

It was nevertheless their only loss of that campaign, ending their hopes of completing the season unbeaten.

Since then, Sundowns have gone through a further 33 home matches without losing all three points to their opponents. Their previous home defeat before the Cape Town City result had come against TS Galaxy on 10 August 2022, when Sead Ramovic recorded a notable victory over the club.

Sundowns therefore have just one defeat in their past 61 home league matches.

Cardoso’s overall league record since arriving at Chloorkop is also strong. He has lost only four matches in the competition, with all four defeats coming away from home.

The 54-year-old will complete two years at Sundowns in December. It will be the longest period he has spent in a single head-coaching role.

Cardoso did not finish a full year in any of his five previous positions, which included spells at Esperance, a second stint at Rio Ave, AEK Athens, Celta Vigo and Nantes.

Victory against Siwelele would allow him to continue that exceptional home sequence as he moves closer to the 100-game milestone.

Those planning to bet on Sundowns in their next fixture are advised to assess betting sites before placing a wager, including the quality of the odds, welcome offers, payout speed and user experience.

The article is accompanied by a photograph credited to Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.