Miguel Cardoso Left Fuming After Sundowns’ First Betway Premiership Defeat
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso was left visibly frustrated after his side suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows in their Betway Premiership clash at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Wednesday evening.
Mamelodi Sundowns Dominate but Fail to Convert
Sundowns were in control for much of the game, enjoying a staggering 73% of possession and dictating the tempo from the first whistle. Despite their dominance, it was Golden Arrows who struck first, with Junior Dion finding the back of the net in the 30th minute.
The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser, but Arrows’ disciplined defence and some wasteful finishing kept the Brazilians at bay. Interestingly, despite Sundowns’ possession superiority, Arrows managed more shots on goal, registering 13 efforts compared to Sundowns’ nine.
Also read: Mamelodi Sundowns Face Growing Concerns After MTN8 Exit
Miguel Cardoso’s Disappointment Clear
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the final whistle, Cardoso could not hide his irritation, suggesting that external factors may have influenced the outcome.
“Some decisions didn’t go well in today’s game inside the pitch,” he said, hinting at questionable officiating without going into detail.
Cardoso also felt the scoreline did not reflect the quality of Sundowns’ play, insisting his side had created enough chances to win.
“I think we did enough to score goals today and win the match. I think we scored four goals. So I think we did enough to win,” he said, his frustration evident.
‘In Normal Conditions, We’d Be Champions’
In a pointed remark, Cardoso added: “The boys will lift themselves because they have that strength. But I just want to make it clear, in normal conditions, we’d be champions. In normal conditions, we’ll be champions again.”
He did not elaborate on what he meant by “normal conditions,” but the comment will surely spark debate among supporters and pundits.
Also read: Cardoso Blames Fatigue After Mamelodi Sundowns’ MTN8 Semi-Final Exit
Title Race Heating Up
The defeat leaves Sundowns on 18 points after nine matches, still within touching distance of the top of the table. While the reigning champions have won five games, they have now drawn three and suffered their first defeat of the season.
Sekhukhune United currently sit atop the log with 20 points from eight games, putting pressure on Sundowns as the title race begins to gather momentum.
Brazilians Must Bounce Back
While this result will sting, Sundowns remain well-positioned to mount another title charge. Cardoso’s post-match comments suggest he is determined to use this setback as motivation for his side as they look to return to winning ways in their next fixture.
