Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso acknowledges that his players are not yet performing at the level he expects, but he believes they will fully understand his vision with time.

This statement comes despite Sundowns appearing flawless in the three matches Cardoso has overseen, winning all three without conceding a goal.

The Portuguese coach replaced Manqoba Mngqithi at Sundowns in a surprising decision that caught many off guard.  

Sundowns management expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s direction, despite their position at the top of the Betway Premiership.

The decision to dismiss Mngqithi was made after the team drew their first two CAF Champions League group stage matches – a tournament they strongly desire to win – and suffered a disappointing loss in the Carling Knockout Cup to Magesi FC.

Following their victory over AmaZulu, secured by Iqraam Rayners’ header at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday at the last minute, Cardoso revealed that the team had not yet reached the level he had envisioned. However, he believes they will achieve this with time.

“Basically, the team is not the level I would like to,” he said. 

“If the level could have been what we want and what we can do, because sometimes it’s not question of managing the moment.  

“Against AmaZulu, it was a third match we were playing in a very short period of time and usually it is not on the second one to feel the level of fatigue. We were quite slow, less proactive and more reactive maybe due to a lack of freshness. 

“We are working on a very tight schedule and in three days we are going to play Richards Bay. 
  

“The team will come up obviously by gaining confident as they are doing along living with the right values that we have in the team and this is very important.”  

Sundowns will face Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday at 15:30.