The Brazilians secured a crucial win in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semi-final, with Colombian striker Brayan Leon netting the decisive goal in the second half.
While the result gives Sundowns a slender advantage heading into the return leg at Loftus Versfeld, Cardoso was quick to stress that qualification is far from guaranteed.
“We played against a very strong team and had to understand the different moments of the game,” said Cardoso after the match.
“In the first half, we controlled the ball better and played closer to our identity, but we still needed to make adjustments.”
Leon’s strike — his fourth of the campaign — puts Sundowns in a strong position, but the contest remains finely balanced, especially given the late setback of losing Grant Kekana to a red card.
READ: Brayan Leon Strike Hands Mamelodi Sundowns first leg advantage in CAF Champions League semi-final
Reduced to 10 men in the closing stages, Sundowns were forced to abandon their attacking intent and instead focus on preserving the result.
“After we lost Grant, the game became much more difficult. The priority was to stay compact and protect what we had,” Cardoso explained.
The Sundowns coach also admitted that his side must improve their approach, particularly in the opening stages of matches, if they are to see off the Tunisian giants.
“The first half must be even stronger — more concentration, more determination and better tactical application,” he said.
Sundowns will be without Kekana in the return, but the expectation remains the same — to control the match and play to win in order to secure their place in the final.