The stakes could not be higher for Mamelodi Sundowns as they prepare for a must-win CAF Champions League Group C encounter against MC Alger tomorrow, February 14, 2026.
Currently sitting in third place with six points from five group stage matches, Sundowns’ record of one win, three draws, and one defeat has left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Read: Kaizer Chiefs Co-Coaches Pass the Test – But Will They Stay?
Recent form has been deeply concerning; a damaging 2-1 loss to Al Hilal was followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw against FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo, where Jayden Adams’ equalizer was only enough to keep them mathematically alive in a group where all four teams remain in contention.
The pressure on Miguel Cardoso has reached a boiling point. African football expert Mogale Sathekge, speaking on Soccer Betting News, delivered a scathing assessment of the coach’s tenure.
Sathekge labelled Cardoso as “predictable” and accused him of failing to establish a trusted starting eleven since his arrival at Chloorkop.
The pundit did not mince his words on the episode, saying, “Cardoso is the first manager or coach at Sundowns who is predictable and who has given the Mamelodi Sundowns faithful’s or supporters doubts you know, in the team, because firstly he doesn’t have his first eleven, trusted first eleven.”
Furthermore, Sathekge issued a stern warning regarding the atmosphere in Mamelodi, stating, “It won’t be nice… Mamelodi will burn if this guy doesn’t go to the knockout stages”.
The tension has been further exacerbated by off-field turmoil. Analyst Mario Masha was recently suspended following allegations that he leaked sensitive training information to MC Alger’s coach, Rulani Mokwena. This scandal has added a layer of disloyalty to an already unsettled environment as the team braces for this defining test of character.
For Sundowns, anything less than a victory against MC Alger likely marks a premature end to their Champions League journey. As the fans prepare to descend on Loftus Versveld, the match represents a crossroads: a chance for Cardoso to silence his critics or the moment the “predictable” cracks finally lead to a total collapse.
Kick-off is scheduled for 15h00 tomorrow in Pretoria, marking a fixture that will either rejuvenate the club’s continental ambitions or signal a catastrophic failure for the current regime …