Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso hails Monnapule Saleng after impressive debut 

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso hails Monnapule Saleng after impressive debut 

Head coach Miguel Cardoso has showered praise on Monnapule Saleng after the winger made a decisive impact on his debut for Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. in their emphatic 3-1 victory over Sekhukhune United F.C. on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilians returned to winning ways at the iconic Loftus Versfeld Stadium, with Saleng announcing his arrival in style by creating one of the goals for striker Iqraam Rayners.

It was a long-awaited bow for the former Orlando Pirates F.C. attacker, who joined Sundowns after a loan stint at Orbit College F.C.. Introduced in the 80th minute in place of Tashreeq Matthews, the left-footed winger wasted little time in stamping his authority on the contest.

Saleng’s intelligent movement and sharp execution directly contributed to Rayners’ goal, underlining why Sundowns were eager to secure his services.

Cardoso, clearly impressed, highlighted both the player’s versatility and his disciplined reintegration following injury.

“Saleng did well. He’s a player who is high quality and can play outside on the right or left. You know him even better than myself,” Cardoso said.

The Portuguese tactician revealed that patience was key in managing the winger’s comeback.

“Unfortunately, I just started with him lately because he was injured, but he made a fantastic recovery. We never wanted to put pressure on his comeback, and we should still not. Obviously, he’s recovered, but he’s also getting conditioning and understanding what we want from him.”

Cardoso also hinted at Saleng’s tactical flexibility, suggesting supporters should not be surprised to see him deployed in various roles.

“He can play outside and inside, so don’t get surprised if you see him having different positions on the pitch. Today we needed to keep the structure, especially because [Khuliso] Mudau was struggling with an ankle and we could not expose him too much in attack.

“We also didn’t want to expose ourselves too much in defence. So we decided to operate him at the right moment when Tashreeq Matthews was already lacking energy. It worked very well for the team. I still have to review the game, but I think that was his action that led to Iqraam’s goal and very good execution.”

Cardoso further stressed the importance of having explosive options off the bench — a luxury Sundowns possess in abundance.

“I think it’s clear that teams need players who can aggress defenders. They need players to start matches like that, but clubs like Sundowns also need a bench with players who can do that at a moment when teams are tired.”

Saleng’s cameo may have lasted just minutes, but its significance was unmistakable. In a squad brimming with talent and competition, he has already given his coach a compelling reason to trust him more — and perhaps, to hand him an even bigger role in the matches to come.