Cardoso Criticizes PSL Midfielder Award Decision To Appollis After Allende MTN8 Masterclass
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso reiterated his astonishment that Chilean playmaker Marcelo Allende has never won the PSL Midfielder of the Season award following his Man of the Match performance against Golden Arrows on Sunday.
Allende scored once and created another as Sundowns won 3-2 on the day to draw 3-3 on aggregate, advancing to the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates on away goals.
The PSL Midfielder of the Season trophy was awarded to Oswin Appollis last term. While Appollis was classified as a midfielder on the ballot, he operated primarily as an inverted winger and attacker—unlike Allende, who consistently dictates matches as a traditional box-to-box number 8 or deep-lying number 6.
Cardoso was left bewildered by the voting outcome, arguing that true central midfielders were overlooked in favor of wide forwards.
How Did Marcelo Allende Perform in the MTN8 Semi-Final Second Leg?
Allende produced a stellar display at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi to send the Brazilians through to the showpiece event. Currently in the final year of his contract at Chloorkop, the Chilean central midfielder was at the heart of Sundowns’ finest attacking moves.
In the 31st minute, Allende initiated a crisp give-and-go with Cassius Mailula, dismantling the Arrows defensive line before Mailula finished from close range to make it 1-1 on aggregate.
Allende then put Sundowns ahead on the afternoon. When substitute Antonio van Wyk’s cross was half-cleared by the Golden Arrows defense, Allende pounced on the loose ball to slot home for 2-1 on the day (2-2 aggregate).
Van Wyk later scored Sundowns’ third, cutting inside off an Iqraam Rayners pass to beat Thakasani Mbanjwa with a bouncing strike. Although Philani Khumalo scored late for Arrows to make it 3-2 on the day and 3-3 on aggregate, Allende’s two away-goal contributions ensured Sundowns’ progression.
Why Did Miguel Cardoso Criticize the PSL Midfielder of the Season Award?
Speaking after Allende collected his second consecutive Man of the Match award, Cardoso questioned how the midfielder’s long-term consistency in South African football has gone unrewarded at the PSL’s end-of-season awards.
“Marcelo, when he received his second Man of the Match—I think it is his second one in a row—for me, it is a very surprising thing that Marcelo has performed so well in South Africa for so many years,” Cardoso said.
“Yet he still hasn’t received the award for Midfielder of the Season, especially when you see a winger receiving that trophy last season. But that is something that happened in the past. What we need to focus on is what we are going to do this season so that, in the end, we put ourselves in the position where we want to be.”
Cardoso added that individual accolades remain secondary to team silverware at Chloorkop.
“No one at Sundowns has an interest in fighting for individual trophies unless those trophies mean that the team did well, and then we accept the individual recognition, of course.”
When Will the Venue for the Sundowns vs Orlando Pirates MTN8 Final Be Announced?
Sundowns’ progression sets up a marquee 2026 MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates. The Premier Soccer League (PSL) confirmed that the host venue for the showpiece match will be officially announced on 10 October.
Orlando Pirates, who are chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive Top 8 title, booked their final berth on Saturday by dispatching Sekhukhune United 4-0 on aggregate.
The upcoming final adds another chapter to their storied cup rivalry. Pirates previously defeated Sundowns on penalties at Moses Mabhida Stadium in the 2023/24 MTN8 final before also beating the Brazilians in that same season’s Nedbank Cup showpiece.
