Cardoso Aims To Break Through Sundowns Semifinal Barrier
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is determined to unlock the club’s mental barriers that have consistently prevented them from progressing beyond the semifinal stage of the CAF Champions League.
Sundowns have suffered consecutive semifinal defeats in the past two seasons, losing to Wydad Casablanca and Esperance de Tunis, the latter managed by Cardoso himself last season.
This disappointment is precisely why Sundowns appointed Cardoso in December to replace Manqoba Mngqithi. The South African giants are eager to return to the Champions League final for the first time since their 2016 triumph under legendary coach Pitso Mosimane.
Cardoso, whose Esperance team lost to Al Ahly in the final last season, guided Sundowns to the quarterfinals this past weekend with a draw against FAR Rabat. This marks the first time since 2018 that Sundowns have not topped their group.
Their rivals, Orlando Pirates, have achieved a more impressive feat by topping Group C, which was guaranteed by their remarkable victory over defending champions Al Ahly in Egypt this past weekend.
Pirates, unlike Sundowns, will be seeded in the quarterfinals draw, granting them the significant advantage of hosting the second leg at home.
While Sundowns have consistently performed well in the Champions League, their inability to reach the final is a persistent hurdle that Cardoso was brought in to overcome.
Acknowledging this challenge, Cardoso stated, “Indeed, to reach the latter stages of the competition, a strong mindset is crucial.”
He further elaborated, “And strong collective behaviors and eventually in the second half against (Rabat), we were not at that level, which was clear.
“It needs to go, because we are going to play against the strongest teams, the ones that are known in the competition, but we are also one of them.
“The other will have to worry about us. But it is indeed important to manage and control the games without the ball because the other teams also have quality. But also control the games with the ball, because that was something we did so well in the first half, trying to find spaces, and then in the second half we just lost the sense that we could continue to play like that and we were not able because we started to play some long balls, allowing them to attack us.
“Of course, this is maturity that we need to have in the next rounds of the competitions.
“But this will be necessary, not only in the Champions League but necessarily in the tough games like the PSL. The next one is already on Wednesday (against Magesi at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium).”
Cardoso emphasized that this mental fortitude is necessary not only in the Champions League but also in crucial domestic matches, starting with their midweek encounter against Magesi.
“We expect the team to grow game after game and I think we can do better with time, for sure,” he concluded.
Despite the recent semifinal setbacks, Cardoso remains confident in Sundowns’ prospects in the quarterfinals, anticipating a significant boost from the return of key players like Aubrey Modiba, Bathusi Aubaas, Mothobi Mvala, and Khuliso Mudau, who have been sidelined due to suspensions and injuries.
