We Suffered – Cardoso

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has praised the Brazilians’ win against Magesi on Wednesday, saying that players like Tashreeq Matthews came and injected some life into his side. 

Sundowns played their first game in the Betway Premiership in 2025 as they last played against AmaZulu on the 24th of December last year at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. 

Fortunately, Cardoso’s side won 2-1 in Old Peter Mokaba Stadium with Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Matthews’ goals extending their lead at the top of the Betway Premiership table to 33 points after 12 matches, six ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates. However, the Soweto Giants have a game in hand. 

 “Obviously a very emotional game and naturally emotional to myself that came out in that moment,” Cardoso said. 

“We expected to make a strong first half, we discussed a lot of emotions and what good came out from this game. We should be very strong and not concede that goal. “But it happened, we lost concentration in the action that we gave a goal to Magesi. 

“The first half was difficult, the players struggled to put themselves inside the game in the best way. I also knew that if we could keep the intensity, we have players to put inside and have a good energy that could put challenges in the other team [Magesi]. 

“Eventually, we also didn’t need to think about two goals I also told them to think about one goal because if we score one the energy will be on our side. 

 “Hopefully we did it. I’m also happy we scored the second one even though we scored it early but we had good energy. It was a very tough game not only did we have to think a lot in terms of how to work with the players because it’s our job as coaches. The players that entered helped a lot, we kept the intensity until the end in a good way.” 

Meanwhile, Cardoso also said that his team that started against AS FAR on Sunday did well and that’s why decided not to change the lineup against Magesi, but happy with the players that entered during the second half, especially Matthews because they changed the game very well. 

 “It’s important that the players that come from the bench we trust them, and for the fact that they started from the bench doesn’t mean we don’t trust them,” he said.

“I had no problem with making changes. Obviously, in this game, we decided to keep the team basically in same as the last game because I told them that despite that we suffered a goal in the last minute in the last game, we had a great game. 

“It was important to make them understand that we going to this game the same way we did in the last game. But it was a very tough game against Magesi, so the players that came from the bench had a very good energy that helped the team.”