Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has refused to describe the club’s recent continental disappointments as a disaster, despite seeing his team lose the CAF Super Cup final to USM Alger just days after their shock CAF Champions League elimination.
The Brazilians suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Algerian side at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday, adding to the disappointment of their Champions League exit against Wiliete SC. That result also ended Sundowns’ long-standing run of reaching the group stage of the competition, which they had achieved for more than a decade.
For a club with ambitions of dominating African football, the past few weeks have been difficult. However, Cardoso believes the team must learn from the setbacks and focus on responding positively.
Cardoso Admits Sundowns Were Punished for Their Mistakes
Reflecting on the Super Cup final, Cardoso acknowledged that Sundowns made costly mistakes while failing to make the most of their own attacking opportunities.
The Portuguese coach felt USM Alger were more clinical with the chances they created, while his players struggled to turn their opportunities into goals.
“We made mistakes that were penalised by goals, there wasn’t much actions from USMA, the difference was the level of profit they had from what they created, compared to what we didn’t take from what we created,” Cardoso said.
His comments highlighted the difference between the two sides, with USM Alger taking their opportunities and Sundowns paying the price for their defensive lapses.
Heavy Rain Affected Sundowns, But Cardoso Refuses Excuses
The match was also affected by heavy rainfall in Pretoria, which delayed the start of the second half and left difficult playing conditions at Loftus Versfeld.
Cardoso admitted that the wet pitch made it challenging for his team to play their usual football. Nevertheless, he was unwilling to blame the weather for the defeat.
“When I saw the conditions of the pitch in the second half, I knew it would be tough for us, it was not easy to play [with the rain], it was catastrophic, but it’s not excuses. I think we had bad luck to get the sparkle to get us back in the match,” he explained.
The coach also pointed to the two goals Sundowns conceded on counter-attacks, saying the emotional impact of falling further behind made the contest increasingly difficult.
He acknowledged USM Alger’s character and congratulated the Algerian club, their players and supporters on winning the trophy.
‘There Is Only One Way to React’
With Sundowns now facing a FIFA international break of approximately two and a half weeks, Cardoso believes the team must use the difficult period as an opportunity to reflect and improve.
The coach insisted that negative results always provide lessons, but stressed that the only way forward is to return to winning ways.
“There’s always something to learn from negatives, I don’t see another way forward, we wanted to win this,” he said.
Cardoso also recalled a previous match at Loftus Versfeld during his time with Esperance, when Sundowns dominated before rain disrupted the conditions.
He suggested that the difficult weather had once again made it harder for the Brazilians to display their best football.
Cardoso Insists Sundowns’ Setbacks Are Not a Disaster
Despite the growing pressure following the Champions League and Super Cup disappointments, Cardoso believes the club must show the mentality expected of a big team.
He acknowledged that results of this nature can be difficult to accept but insisted that Sundowns have to respond rather than allow the setbacks to define their season.
“Results like this bring you down to the floor, but only one way to react, we have challenges in the short-term, that’s how big teams get out of it. It’s not disaster or catastrophe, there’s no losers in this. I won’t say who was the better team,” Cardoso added.
What Remains for Sundowns This Season?
With continental football no longer on their calendar for the season, Sundowns must now concentrate on domestic competitions.
The Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals, the Betway Premiership title race and the Nedbank Cup remain important targets for Masandawana.
Cardoso will be expected to guide his players through this difficult spell and restore confidence as the season enters a crucial stage.
For Sundowns, the challenge is no longer about adding another continental trophy but proving they can recover from disappointment and finish the domestic campaign strongly.
