Cardoso lauds Sundowns players' commitment despite Caf final defeat
Sundowns lost 3-2 on aggregate to Pyramids after their 2-1 second leg defeat at June 30 Air Defence Stadium in Cairo on Sunday. The Egyptian club claimed their first continental title after goals by Fiston Mayele and Ahmed Saad either side of the half delivered the trophy to them.
Iqraam Rayners pulled one back late in the second half, but despite Sundowns throwing everything they had to try to find an equaliser that would have seen them win the final on away goals, it was not to be.
'That we are not happy does not mean I am not proud of everything we did until the moment we arrived in this final,' Cardoso said.
☹️ 𝔻𝕀𝕊𝕊𝔸ℙ𝕆𝕀ℕ𝕋𝔼𝔻 ☹️
🗣️ "𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥"
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso reflecting on their loss in the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL final against Pyramids! #SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/qVsEW5mf9Y
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 2, 2025
'Something was missed to be at the level we needed to win. What I feel is in some moments we did not find the way to compete at the level we should have to win the trophy.'
Sundowns went into the second leg on the back foot after conceding an away goal at home in the dying seconds to draw 1-1 at Loftus two Saturdays ago. The Brazilians needed to score, but Pyramids showed their intentions by scoring two goals before Downs could get on the score sheet.
Cardoso lauded his side's character, though they just could not get that decisive equaliser.
'Throughout the tournament our players were able to show commitment and great attitude. Guiding them to the final makes me proud.
'The feeling when you play the final and don't win is bitter. I have a wonderful group of men in the locker room who are suffering.
⏪ 🅸🅲🆈🅼🅸 ⏪
Pyramids were crowned the 2024/2025 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL Champions following their 2⃣➖1⃣ victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2nd leg! #SABCSportFootball pic.twitter.com/gVkrLBnsw4
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 2, 2025
'We still have a lot to do. What is important is to go back and settle in the objective and that we can repeat the opportunity of playing again a final and be better than we were.'
Cardoso defended his decision not to field veteran Themba Zwane — Downs and Bafana Bafana's best creative attacker of the past 10 years, who returned from injury in the weeks before the final — in both legs. Many have questioned whether the 35-year-old might have made a difference, given his experience and big match temperament.
'It's not time to speak about individual performances of players. This group has a lot of quality players and Themba is one of them.
'It's not a matter of accepting that we lost but a matter of accepting we didn't play at a level we should have played in the first three parts of the game.'
Masandawana now shift their focus to the Fifa Club World Cup which starts in the US on June 14.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Abdeslam Ouaddou ready to manage all characters at Orlando Pirates
New Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is embracing the challenge of building on past success while managing big personalities — including star signing Sipho Mbule — as the Sea Robbers set sail for league glory. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Abdeslam Ouaddou is made of sterner stuff. And as such, he knows the buck will stop with him in making sure the Sea Robbers sail into steady waters. Ouaddou was appointed as Orlando Pirates' new head coach last month, taking over the reins from José Riveiro, who joined Egyptian giants Al Ahly. The Moroccan-born coach arrived at the club fully aware that the job is no small task — he must pick up where Riveiro left off and address the team's shortcomings. Riveiro had an impressive tenure, leading Pirates to five trophies and three successive second-place league finishes during his three-year spell. Speaking to Pirates TV recently, Ouaddou applauded the Spaniard's achievements and insisted that the solid foundation and momentum must not go to waste. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The 46-year-old also outlined what he intends to bring to the team and the areas he believes need improvement for Pirates to take the next step. 'I like the philosophy of positional play, and I like to score quickly,' Ouaddou explained. 'You can see we scored a lot of goals last season, and over the years Pirates have come close to challenging the log leaders. But at the same time, we need to improve in some areas, which would help us go forward and eventually win the league.' He identified defensive transitions as a key focus. 'We need to try to work on that together as a unit. I think it's a good team, and I like it. We have to keep the legacy, the work that has already been done well. Usually, when a coach comes in, he wants to destroy everything. But we have to be clever — analyse what worked and then build on that foundation.' While Ouaddou sees no sense in fixing what isn't broken, Pirates seem ready to usher in a new era, having signed nine new players already this winter. The influx of fresh faces is sure to bring a mix of personalities — potentially a selection headache for the coaching staff and club bosses. But Ouaddou, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career that included a spell at English Premier League club Fulham, is unfazed. 'I don't want only nice boys. I want some tough boys. I'll manage them — no problem,' he said. 'I need different characters. "Coaches often want only nice boys so they don't have to manage them. But in a team, you need all types — calm people, strong people, sometimes even a few crazy guys. It's my job to bring all these personalities together and make the connections work.' Among the new signings is Sipho Mbule — one of South Africa's most talented playmakers, but a player whose career has been punctuated by disciplinary issues at former clubs SuperSport United, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Sekhukhune United.
The Herald
3 hours ago
- The Herald
Mamelodi Sundowns announce release of two high-profile players
Mamelodi Sundowns have announced the exit of two players who have at various stages played an important role in the club's success. Attacking midfielder Lebohang Maboe, 30, and central midfielder Rivaldo Coetzee, 28, are moving on from the Brazilians. The pair were no longer in the plans for Brazilians coach Miguel Cardoso. 'After seven memorable years, 12 trophies, 183 appearances and that unforgettable league winning hat-trick, the Yellow Nation bids farewell to Lebohang Maboe,' Downs posted on X.
The South African
3 hours ago
- The South African
Breaking: Mamelodi Sundowns release two long-serving players
Mamelodi Sundowns have parted ways with two of their most experienced players. The Brazilians announced on Sunday morning that they have parted ways with Lebohang Maboe and Rivaldo Coetzee. Both players won more than 10 trophies during their time at Chloorkop. Maboe spent seven seasons with Masandawana and worked under Pitso Mosimane, Rulani Mokwena, Manqoba Mngqithi and Miguel Cardoso. The 30-year-old forward managed to score 20 goals in 183 appearances across all competitions. 'After 7 memorable years, 12 trophies, 183 appearances and that unforgettable league-winning hattrick – the Yellow Nation bids farewell to Lebohang Maboe. Masandawana wishes you nothing but success as you enter your next chapter,' Mamelodi Sundowns said in a statement. Another player that was released is Bafana Bafana defender Rivaldo Coetzee after eight years with the club. 'The Yellow Nation thanks Rivaldo Coetzee for eight years as a Sandawana. After winning 14 trophies in his time with the Club and making over 130 appearances, the Mamelodi Sundowns family wishes you all the best in your next chapter.' The Brazilians have already parted ways with Sipho Mbule, who has since joined rivals Orlando Pirates on a free transfer. Having recently returned from the FIFA Club World Cup, Sundowns are in no hurry to sign players. Their pre-season is set to start in three weeks. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
