Cardoso Unfazed By Rayners Scoring For Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso remains unfazed by the fact that only one player has scored in his first three matches in charge of the club.
Iqraam Rayners has been the sole goal-scorer during this period, netting a late winner against AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday.
The former Stellenbosch striker also scored when Sundowns beat Raja Casablanca in the CAF Champions League in Cardoso’s first game in charge.
The Bafana Bafana striker did it again when Sundowns beat his former club last weekend in the Betway Premiership at Cape Town Stadium.
“No, not really worried,” said Cardoso in Durban.
“I would be worried if we are not creating so many chances like we did in the last games. We arrive in the box, we arrive with many players, we had goals situations. Hopefully, it will results in goals. I believe that we have more goals to come out from different players obviously.
“We have people who can score goals. Naturally, they will find them and Iqraam needs to be scoring goals, but we also have other players that can do them any moment.”
It was the seventh successive game that Rayners had scored, having netted for Bafana Bafana against South Sudan in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the loss against Magesi in the Carling Knockout Cup final, against Sekhukhune United, and FAR Rabat.
The victory over AmaZulu lifted Sundowns to 27 points at the top of the Betway Premiership after 10 matches, three points ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, who thrashed Marumo Gallants 8-1 at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.
However, they achieved this victory despite playing a man down after goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
Referee Masixole Bambiso was left with no choice but to show the red card to the Bafana Bafana captain. However, the CAF Inter-Club Player of the Year and CAF Goalkeeper of the Year celebrated the victory with jubilation at the final whistle.
Following the match in Durban, Sundowns flew back to Johannesburg to allow their players and staff to spend Christmas with their families.
The seven-time consecutive league champions will return to Durban on 28 December for their next fixture against Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium.
