Miguel Cardoso praises Nuno Santos after Sundowns’ dominant win over Stade Malien

Mamelodi Sundowns FC head coach Miguel Cardoso praised midfielder Nuno Santos after his influential performance in the club’s victory over Stade Malien in the CAF Champions League on Friday night.

The South African champions secured a comfortable 3-0 win in Pretoria, with Santos playing a key role in midfield as the home side controlled the match against the Malian champions.

The Portuguese playmaker created two goals during the match, taking his overall tally in the competition this season to three goals and five assists from eight appearances in his debut campaign in the Champions League.

Speaking after the match, Cardoso expressed his satisfaction with the midfielder’s display and highlighted the importance of the support the player receives within the squad at Chloorkop.

“I think Nuno is a player who needs to be put in the right emotional state to be able to perform at his best, but isn’t that the same for all of us? Aren’t we people who, when they receive love, produce more?” said the Downs coach.

Cardoso suggested the environment around the team plays a major role in helping players perform at their highest level.

“And I can say that for him, but it starts with Ronwen [Williams] and goes all the way up to the offensive players. I think Nuno receives that love from everyone.”

The Portuguese coach also spoke about how quickly Santos settled into life in South African football following his arrival.

“Obviously, for him, adapting to the reality of South Africa, to the reality of football here, happened quite spontaneously. You know, he started and in his very first match, he was named man of the match.”

Cardoso added that he was pleased with the overall effort from his players during the match.

“I’m really pleased with Nuno, just like with the other lads today. I think they all committed collectively after 25 minutes.”

Following the victory, Sundowns will now shift their focus to domestic competition. They are scheduled to face Marumo Gallants FC in the Betway Premiership at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday, 17 March.