Cardoso praises Sundowns’ resilience after Champions League disappointment

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso praised his players for responding to their CAF Champions League elimination with a 1-0 victory over Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout.

Sundowns secured their place in the quarter-finals at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday evening, with Siyanda Ndlovu’s 20th-minute goal proving decisive against a determined Gallants side.

The result ended Sundowns’ difficult spell after their unexpected early exit from a competition in which the Pretoria club have consistently challenged at the highest level. Cardoso admitted the team had been forced to prepare in challenging circumstances but was pleased with the players’ commitment.

“It was a very tough match, prepared under very difficult circumstances and played with a lot of emotional stress, but it was a very important victory, as you may imagine,” said Cardoso.

“In a competition where you have no other opportunities than the moment you play a game, that is important.”

The Portuguese coach felt Sundowns made the match harder for themselves after a positive opening, but said avoiding a concession had been a key objective for the technical team.

“I think we started quite well, but we complicated our own lives,” he added. “There are a lot of things that emerged from the match in terms of what we wanted as an answer.

“We, as coaches, knew very well the kind of emotional state the team had been in and how important it was not to suffer a goal.”

Cardoso said it was important for Sundowns to show their supporters that they remained committed despite the disappointment in continental competition. The club had only a short time to process Friday’s Champions League setback before returning to action against Gallants.

The 54-year-old said managing the players’ mindset had therefore been a central part of the preparations. Sundowns’ technical team worked to restore confidence and ensure the squad was ready to compete again rather than allowing the previous result to affect their performance.

Cardoso now wants his side to focus on the demands of each upcoming fixture and approach those matches with renewed determination.

Sundowns continue to deal with selection problems, however. Influential players Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau remain unavailable because of injury, while Keagan Johannes was wearing a moon boot after suffering an injury in training.

Those absences have left the coaching staff needing to adjust their plans and seek solutions from within the squad. Cardoso said the technical team would continue adapting as Sundowns pursue progress in the Carling Knockout.