Cardoso Explains Maseko’s Return To Sundowns Squad

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has been impressed with Thapelo Maseko’s performance in training, which led to his introduction as a substitute in their crucial CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg against Esperance de Tunis on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old speedy winger is enduring a tough second season at the Tshwane giants as he fell down the pecking orders at Chloorkop and constantly finds himself on the fringe side of players, including featuring in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) team.

However, Maseko’s misfortunes are mostly down to an injury-ravaged stay at Sundowns in addition to the fierce competition in the star-studded squad. The ex-SuperSport United star missed 38 games due to separate knee and hamstring injuries last season.

In a bid to get him fit and firing again, the Downs staff dropped him to the reserve league where he can feature consistently, with his last first-team appearance dating back to the shock 1-0 defeat to TS Galaxy in February.

Now, the Portuguese tactician, who took over the hot seat from Manqoba Mngqithi in December 2024, explained why he opted to thrust the youngster in a game of that magnitude, where a spot in the semifinals is on the line.

“Maseko has been training well, he has not been playing regularly that’s true, but he has been on the group. When a player is regularly on the group, it means that we trust him, and he has specific characteristics,” said Cardoso.

“And we thought that in the moment the game was [in], we could profit from the characteristics that he has. He’s a player that’s very quick, he understands the spaces on the back of the defense, he has been training with us for those characteristics and highlighting those characteristics on him.” 

While he is adamant the decision to call upon Maseko for goal scorer Peter Shalulile was the right one, Cardoso made an honest admission that the tactical plan didn’t bear fruit as they had anticipated for the remainder of the game.

“So, that’s what we wanted to [achieve with him], but we didn’t serve him in the right way because he must be served on the space. He’s a player to be served on the space and not on the feet with the center-backs that are much more powerful on the contact than him,” he added.

“So, we should play the ball out of the direction of the center-backs, so that didn’t work out, but the intention to put him on the pitch was completely correct. We are pretty satisfied with the work he does every day, that’s why he played.”

Having earned the trust of the 52-year-old mentor, Maseko will be keen to add to his appearance tally as Masandawana gear up for the second leg of their tie in Tunisia on Tuesday. 

So far, the player has been featured in 11 matches with no start across all competitions.