Cardoso praises Sundowns’ character after semi-final qualification

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso during a press conference. Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso praised his side’s character after they secured a place in the CAF Champions League semi-finals, despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Stade Malien in Bamako in the second leg of their quarter-final. The Brazilians endured a difficult first half, allowing the hosts to take a 2-0 lead into the interval.

However, Sundowns held on to advance 3-2 on aggregate and book their spot in the last four. Their task became even tougher late on when Aubrey Modiba was shown a red card with 13 minutes remaining following a reckless challenge on defender Moussa Diallo. Nevertheless, Sundowns held off a late charge by the Malian champions to set up a semi-final clash with Cardoso’s former club, Esperance.

“We had to reorganise the team and close the match. Obviously, we are not happy with the result of this match, but we are happy with the qualification,” Cardoso remarked. “I’m happy for the club to be in another semi-final, I’m happy for the players who are in the semi-finals again and the fans back in South Africa.” Reflecting on the contest, Cardoso admitted his side struggled to cope with Malien’s approach in the opening half, particularly in the challenging heat, as the hosts dominated proceedings over the 90 minutes.

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“They (Malien) changed their organisation and put big players upfront. We had to press them high but we didn’t because we suffered the first goal and it created some instability,” he added. “We allowed them to do what they want because this team is not a team that builds with a lot of passes.

“The pressure wasn’t strong enough so it created an opportunity for Malien to play the first half in a more comfortable space. It was important at halftime to correct that. I said to the boys that it was not a question of football but a question of attitude.”

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