Miguel Cardoso has had an impressive start to his Mamelodi Sundonws tenure, winning seven games on the trot. Picture: Itumeleng English, Independent Newspapers
Mamelodi Sundowns delivered a resounding message to their title rivals Orlando Pirates with a dominating victory at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
This impressive win has ignited a surge of confidence within the squad, but coach Miguel Cardoso insists there is no room for complacency as the team gears up for their next fixture against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday at 7.30pm.
That win for Sundowns saw them go nine points ahead of second placed Pirates at the top of the table, albeit with a game in hand.
Halfway stage of the season
Sundowns also reached the halfway stage of the season with a record 42 points with 14 wins from 15 games. Following the match, Cardoso underlined the significance of maintaining focus as the championship race intensifies.
“Our worry is on Tuesday, we have a big responsibility because after we won against Pirates, the responsibility increased,” he articulated, during the post-match press conference.
“We made a wonderful number of points (42) after the first half, but there is a second round to play.”
Despite feeling buoyed by the recent victory, Cardoso reiterated that the title is far from secured.
“The championship is far from being finished, but now each match we play we can close it more and more. But there is a long way to go; we just have a small advantage that we should respect. The best way to do that is to give our best, and the best is already on Tuesday.”
Hit the ground running
Since taking over in December, the 52-year-old Portuguese coach has hit the ground running by steering Sundowns to an impressive seven consecutive victories in the Betway Premiership.
In that time, the Masandawana have found the net 16 times while only conceding twice. Reflecting on his swift adaptation to the role, Cardoso attributed his success to the supportive environment at Sundowns.
“It has been hard, a lot of work and many hours to work. Things go better when you have people that support you, and the structure of the club welcomed me with open arms,” he explained.
“The players understood they had a man of character in front of them. They understood they have a man who works for them, and they started to give their best from the first day.”
Realistic about the challenges ahead
As he prepares for the upcoming match, Cardoso remains realistic about the challenges ahead, acknowledging that while optimism reigns, there are hurdles to overcome.
“I think that's what made it easy. We came up with one idea, but there is still a lot to do. The team has to grow and be better. We know that we will have our downs also, because there are not always flowers on the way.”
With a tight schedule ahead, it will be interesting to see whether Cardoso will have his eye on their Nedbank Cup duties on Sunday against Mpheni Home Defenders.
The Brazilians have not won the Ke Yona trophy since 2022 and are desperate for a domestic cup this season having already missed out on the MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup.