Miguel Cardoso admits Sundowns made costly mistakes in CAF Super Cup defeat

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has admitted that his side made costly mistakes in their 2-1 defeat to USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup, insisting the result should serve as a lesson as they look to recover from a difficult spell.

The South African champions suffered another setback in continental football after losing to the Algerian side, adding to their disappointment following their early exit from the CAF Champions League.

Sundowns entered the 2026/27 campaign with high expectations after winning Africa’s premier club competition, but their failure to qualify for the Champions League group stage for the first time in more than a decade has raised concerns about their performances.

Their Super Cup defeat has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding Cardoso’s team, although the Portuguese coach believes the difference against USM Alger was largely down to the opponents’ ability to make the most of their opportunities.

“We made mistakes that were penalised by goals. There weren’t many actions from USMA. The difference was the level of profit they had from what they created, compared to what we didn’t take from what we created,” Cardoso said.

The Sundowns coach also pointed to the difficult playing conditions at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, where heavy rainfall made it challenging for his players to impose their usual style of football.

However, he was quick to dismiss the weather as an excuse for the defeat.

“When I saw the conditions of the pitch in the second half, I knew it would be tough for us. It was not easy to play with the rain. It was catastrophic, but it’s not an excuse,” he added.

Cardoso explained that Sundowns struggled to recover after conceding twice on the counter-attack, with USM Alger’s experience and character making it increasingly difficult for the South African side to mount a comeback.

He subsequently congratulated the Algerian club, their players and technical team for securing the trophy.

With Sundowns now facing a two-and-a-half-week break during the FIFA international window, Cardoso says the immediate priority is to return to winning ways and rebuild confidence within the squad.

The defeat means the Brazilians will have no continental competition to look forward to for the remainder of the season, following their Champions League elimination.

Cardoso, however, insists his team must learn from the disappointment rather than dwell on their recent setbacks.

“There’s always something to learn from negatives. I don’t see another way forward. We wanted to win this,” he said.

Reflecting on the difficult conditions, the Portuguese tactician recalled a previous encounter at the venue during his time with Esperance, when rainfall also affected the match.

He acknowledged that such circumstances can prevent Sundowns from displaying their best football but maintained that the team must find a way to respond.

“Results like this bring you down to the floor, but there’s only one way to react. We have challenges in the short term. That’s how big teams get out of it,” Cardoso added.

“It’s not a disaster or catastrophe. There’s no losers in this. I won’t say who was the better team.”

Sundowns will now turn their attention to domestic football, with Cardoso under pressure to guide the club back to winning ways after a disappointing start to their continental campaign.