Cardoso urges respect for under-fire Williams after Sundowns victory

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has defended Ronwen Williams after the goalkeeper produced a man-of-the-match performance in a 2-0 win over Milford FC, insisting criticism of the Bafana Bafana captain must be delivered with “a lot of respect”.

Williams has faced sustained scrutiny in recent months, but Cardoso has continued to trust him as Sundowns’ first-choice goalkeeper. The coach believes the 32-year-old’s record in decisive matches, along with his trophy-winning achievements, provides compelling evidence of his quality.

The former SuperSport United goalkeeper made several important saves against Betway Premiership newcomers Milford FC on Thursday night as Sundowns secured three points at Loftus Stadium.

Iqraam Rayners and Antonio van Wyk scored the goals for Sundowns, who recorded their second clean sheet in the Premiership this season.

“Any criticism of Ronwen Williams must be done with a lot of respect and very easy,” Cardoso explained.

“We are speaking about a player whose career speaks for him. His awards speak for him. What he did last year in the final of the Champions League speaks for him. What he did for the country speaks for him. What is told regarding Ronwen must be told with a lot of caution. Today Ronwen, again, showed that he is a high-level qualified goalkeeper,” Cardoso told reporters after the victory over Milford.

The Portuguese coach said Williams deserved the individual award not only because of his interventions in goal, but also because of his contribution to Sundowns’ overall performance.

“It’s completely valid to receive that man of the match because he had some quality interventions; not only did he defend, but mostly how he led the team throughout the match with a positive attitude and the way he connected the game for us, allowing us to play from the back, so a lot of beautiful things,” Cardoso said.

Cardoso also pointed to a pattern in Williams’ career, arguing that some of the goalkeeper’s strongest displays have come when the pressure surrounding him has been greatest.

“Ronwen knows the support he has from the coach and he is also very strong at dealing with pressure. Usually, his best performances come from moments of higher pressure. I remember last year before the Champions League final, there was a period where there was some criticism, and he gave us that save from a penalty that put us in the position to have the second star on our shirt.”

That reference was to Williams’ influential role before last year’s Champions League final, when his penalty save helped Sundowns move closer to earning a second star on their shirt.

The latest performance also comes at an important moment for the goalkeeper and the national team. New Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane is preparing to announce his first squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with Williams’ form likely to remain under close attention.

For Cardoso, however, the goalkeeper’s response against Milford was further proof that he remains capable of delivering when Sundowns need him most.