Brayan Leon scored one of the three goals for Sundowns in their CAF Champions League quarter-final rout of Stade Malien on Friday at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Miguel Cardoso struck a measured tone afterMamelodi Sundowns secured a commanding 3–0 victory over Stade Malienin the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final. While the scoreline suggested a comfortable night for the Brazilians, the Portuguese coach was quick to warn against any sense of complacency ahead of the return leg in Bamako.
“3-0 is just a result, football has a lot history of comebacks on results like this one, if we don’t go to Bamako with a serious approach and with a very strong team and with the mindset, we can have a bad day,” he said. Cardoso’s caution reflected his awareness of the challengethat still awaits in Mali. Stade Malien’s campaign to reach the knockout stages had been impressive, and the Sundowns mentor believes the contest is far from settled.
“We need to understand this team had a better group stage than us in perhaps what was a better group than ours and I told their coach I know we’re going to have a tough day there because I know they can produce more.” The focus, however, quickly shifts back to domestic matters, with Sundowns juggling their ambitions on the continent and in the Betway Premiership. “But the most important thing for us now is to rest and see who is in better conditions to prepare for Marumo Gallants with maximum energy.” Cardoso’s steady messaging comes after a turbulent period earlier in the season when his tenure at Sundowns was under intense scrutiny. Just over a month ago, criticism from sections of supporters and pundits had grown louder, with some openly questioning whether he was the right man to lead the club.
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Results have since shifted the narrative. Over the last eight matches in all competitions, Sundowns have recorded seven victories. The only setback during that run came in the Nedbank Cup, where they suffered a defeat to TS Galaxy that ended their campaign in the competition.
For Cardoso, that criticism has often overlooked the broader context of performances and narrow margins. “I think people have been very ruthless and I’ve said that a couple of times. We lost two cups on penalties,” he said.
“People don’t usually judge on performance or commitment but just on results alone but what is important for us is what happens at Chloorkop and because of that, we were able to go on a better route but we still have a lot of to do because football can turn around very quickly without the right commitment.” That reference to Chloorkop — Sundowns’ training base — hints at the internal focus that Cardoso believes has helped steady the ship. Behind the scenes, the team has continued to refine its approach, maintain standards, and build momentum across competitions. The emphatic win over Stade Malien may have strengthened Sundowns’ position in the tie, but Cardoso’s message was clear: the job is not finished.
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