Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso could not hide his frustration after his side suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to Golden Arrows in their Betway Premiership clash at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Wednesday night. The result marked Sundowns’ first league defeat of the season, denting their momentum in the title race.
Sundowns Control Possession but Fall Short
Sundowns dominated almost every metric of the game, enjoying an eye-catching 73% of possession and dictating play from the first whistle. Despite their control, they found themselves trailing when Junior Dion struck for Arrows on the half-hour mark.
The reigning champions poured forward in search of an equaliser but could not break through a resilient Arrows defence. Ironically, the hosts managed more attempts at goal, registering 13 shots compared to Sundowns’ nine – showing that they made better use of their opportunities.
Cardoso Questions Match Conditions
A visibly emotional Cardoso expressed his frustration after the match, hinting that factors beyond football might have influenced the outcome.
“Some decisions didn’t go well in today’s game inside the pitch,” he told SuperSport TV. Although he refrained from directly blaming the match officials, his comments suggested dissatisfaction with some of the calls made.
Cardoso insisted his side had done enough to win the game, claiming that their dominance should have resulted in a comfortable victory.
“I think we did enough to score goals today. I think we scored four goals. So I think we did enough to win the match,” he said.
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‘In Normal Conditions, We’d Be Champions’ – Miguel Cardoso
In a statement that is likely to spark debate among supporters, Cardoso boldly declared:
“The boys will lift themselves because they have that strength. But I just want to make it clear, in normal conditions, we’d be champions. In normal conditions, we’ll be champions again.”
He did not clarify what he meant by “normal conditions,” leaving fans to speculate whether he was referring to officiating decisions, the playing surface, or other external factors.
Sundowns Slip in Title Race
The defeat leaves Mamelodi Sundowns on 18 points after nine matches – with five wins, three draws, and now one loss. They remain in second place, two points behind Sekhukhune United, who top the table with 20 points from eight matches.
With the Betway Premiership title race heating up, every point now matters for the defending champions, and Cardoso will demand a strong response when they return to action.
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Brazilians Must Respond
This setback will sting for Sundowns, but they remain well-placed to challenge for the title. Cardoso’s defiant comments suggest that he is determined to turn this result into motivation for his squad, ensuring they bounce back quickly and stay in contention at the top of the log.
