Source: @Supersport Bet
The storm-weathered Sunday sky over Loftus Versfeld Stadium was dim as the kings of Mamelodi watched the CAF Super Cup crown slip away. The hearts of Miguel Cardoso’s men carried the silent fire of a lesson learned as USM Alger Captain Saadi Radouani lifted the Algerian club’s second Super Cup title in a haze of confetti.
It has indeed been a devastating few weeks for the Yellow Nation. Not too long ago, Angolan underdogs Wiliete SC left Sundown fans with broken hearts. Masandawana tears continued to flow in the Pretoria rain as furious supporters blocked the team bus and openly chanted, “Cardoso must go!”, after the club’s most recent continental collapse.
Analysts pointed out Cardoso’s tactical blunders after the 3-1 defeat. Critics argued that the Portuguese mastermind failed to find solutions to the catastrophic pitch conditions, the resurgence of strategic inefficiencies and a resolute North African defensive block.
For the first time in five years in a home fixture, Sundowns conceded twice in the first half. After Iqraam Rayners restored hope from the penalty spot, multiple clear-cut opportunities to equalise were squandered. Nuno Santos and Brayan Leon were clearly missed in the final third.
Despite recent setbacks, supporters of Miguel Cardoso’s retention will argue that he has delivered major honours (including Champions League and domestic/regional silverware). To watch a team truly under his spell is to watch a master class in positional harmony, where the ball moves not out of urgency, but because the space demands it.
Miguel Cardoso has a 64% win ratio (winning 64 out of his first 100 matches) as head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns across all competitions, marking the best win rate of any coach in their opening 100 games in the club’s Premier Soccer League history.
However, the 3-1 Super Cup final loss officially marks the end of continental football for this season. With no remaining Pan-African fixtures left on the calendar under coach Cardoso, the club faces a major hit to its global ranking points and international prestige. It might indeed be time to let Miguel Cardoso go.
