Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance after securing a hard-fought 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
Despite the match not being a classic spectacle, Cardoso was pleased with how his side managed to overcome fatigue and edge out the victory.
The only goal of the game came in the 41st minute, courtesy of a moment of brilliance by the current Betway Premiership top scorer, Lucas Ribiero Costa, who extended his streak to 12 goals at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
While Sundowns have been in scintillating form this season, scoring freely in their previous three matches with a total of 11 goals, the intense fixture schedule has taken its toll.
Nonetheless, the three points saw Masandawana extend their commanding lead at the top of the league, now 18 points ahead of second-place Orlando Pirates. Jose Riviero’s men were defeated 2-0 by Marumo Gallants at a sold out Orlando Stadium later that evening, further cementing Sundowns’ dominance at the summit.
Read: Marumo Gallants Head Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou Delighted with Victory Over Orlando Pirates
During his post-match interview with SuperSport, Cardoso reflected on the nature of the game, saying, “Sometimes, these types of matches, in terms of the tactical side of the game, are not the most beautiful ones, but sometimes these matches are very interesting in terms of the tactical questions, and that’s what we saw today.
“It was a wonderful game, played in a fantastic atmosphere with respect between the two parties, but it was not a very beautiful match.
“We had 68 hours between the start of this match and the beginning of the previous one, so it was a big challenge to prepare for the match.
“The fatigue was clear on our players today. It was absolutely clear in the way we played, and we could not sustain our play in terms of intensity because fatigue is not only physical, but it’s mental.
“The decision making was not always the best, but hard times demand extreme measures, and I told the team that we could win the match, and that’s what we did.
“We competed in different moments of the match, and we defended when we needed to. I told the players that we would have our moments, and in those moments, our individual capacity could give us something, and that’s what happened.”
With Sundowns’ relentless fixture list showing no signs of easing up, the team will be back in action during the week when they face Golden Arrows at the Mpumalanga Stadium. Kick off in KZN is set for 19:30 on Wednesday, 05 March 2025.