Cardoso Praises Resilient Milford As Sundowns Draw Level With Pirates
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso commended newly promoted Milford FC after his rotated side earned a hard-fought 2-0 Betway Premiership victory at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.
Goals from Iqraam Rayners and Antonio Van Wyk moved the Brazilians level on 13 points with log leaders Orlando Pirates after five matches, trailing the Buccaneers only on goal difference.
Why did Miguel Cardoso warn against underestimating Milford FC?
Speaking after Wednesday’s victory on SuperSport TV, Cardoso insisted that Milford’s strong performance came as no surprise given their impressive run to the 2025/26 Nedbank Cup semi-finals prior to securing top-flight promotion.
“Only people who are not paying attention to South African football will be surprised by the quality of this team that we played against, Milford,” Cardoso said.
“Last season, not only did they gain promotion, but remember who they beat on their way to the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup?
“They beat Sekhukhune United and many others. This is a team that plays good football, and we should be happy today because South Africa understood how to play beautiful football. We knew what kind of football we had to play against them.”
┌─────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Stat / Milestone │ Match / Standings Summary │
├─────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ **Match Result** │ Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Milford FC │
│ **Goalscorers** │ Iqraam Rayners (45+1'), Antonio Van Wyk (78') │
│ **Betway Premiership Record** │ 13 Points (5 Matches, 2nd Place on Goal Difference) │
│ **Next Fixture** │ vs Golden Arrows (Sunday, King Zwelithini Stadium) │
└─────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How did squad rotation impact Mamelodi Sundowns’ performance?
Cardoso made several changes to the starting lineup following their weekend MTN8 semi-final victory over Golden Arrows. The Portuguese tactician acknowledged that structural changes required time to settle before second-half substitutes secured control.
“When you make so many changes, the team has to find some connections. We looked forward to it all in the first half, and once we made the substitutions, we settled down. Obviously, the goals have to be given credit, and they justify our victory.
“Well done to the boys for the way they were committed. Bravo, and a very good match from both sides. Finally, bravo,” he added.
Can Mamelodi Sundowns overtake Orlando Pirates at the top of the table this weekend?
Sundowns can claim sole possession of first place in the Betway Premiership on Sunday when they travel to King Zwelithini Stadium to face Golden Arrows.
With Orlando Pirates away in Mauritius for their CAF Champions League preliminary fixture against La Cure Sylvester, any positive result against Abafana Bes’thende will lift Cardoso’s side above the Buccaneers at the summit.
