Miguel Cardoso left heartbroken as Mamelodi Sundowns title hopes suffer major setback

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is struggling to come to terms with his outfit dramatic 3-2 defeat to TS Galaxy in the South African Premiership.

The loss at Mbombela Stadium dealt a major blow to Sundowns’ championship ambitions, with Orlando Pirates now in pole position to secure the league title with just a few points needed from their remaining matches.

The Brazilians, who have dominated South African football in recent years, now face the real possibility of losing the crown after a season that had promised yet another domestic triumph.

Cardoso, visibly disappointed, reflected on the defeat and insisted that fine margins and a demanding fixture schedule have played a key role in Sundowns’ struggles.

“Let’s see what’s going to happen, but it’s tough because I really wanted to be in that top position,” Cardoso said.

“But as I said before, I am going to repeat, it was the calendar that beat us because we made 11 victories in a row since January. After we played Esperance, we drew twice and we lost today.”

The Sundowns coach called for patience and perspective from supporters, urging fans to acknowledge the effort of the players despite the setbacks.

“It’s important that the fans look with honesty for the work of the boys. They can criticize the coach, it’s not a problem for me, I have big shoulders,” he added.

“But I know the fans will be on our side on the weekend. These boys have been working all season very hard.”

Cardoso also pointed to Sundowns’ narrow cup exits and heavy schedule, arguing that key moments have gone against his team.

“We lost two times on penalties in two cups, and we lost in the Nedbank Cup in a match where we had to rotate players,” he said.

“Otherwise, we would probably be in the final of the Champions League. So it’s very hard for the fans, I completely understand.”

Despite the disappointment, Cardoso urged for a fair assessment of the season once all competitions are concluded, insisting the full picture must be considered before judgment is made on the team’s performance.