Miguel Cardoso Sends Strong Warning to Mamelodi Sundowns Players Despite Win Over Stade Malien
- Miguel Cardoso has issued a stern warning to his Mamelodi Sundowns players after their resounding victory over Stade Malien
- The Portuguese tactician guided the Brazilians to a 3-0 first-leg win against the Malian side in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals
- The former Esperance of Tunisia head coach outlined the reason the Brazilians need to be focused in their next two matches
Miguel Cardoso has sent a strong warning to Mamelodi Sundowns despite defeating Stade Malien in their first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-finals clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
Goals from Khuliso Mudau, January signing Brayan Leon, and Iqraam Rayners gave the Brazilians the deserved win over the Malian side in the first leg in South Africa.
The Premier Soccer League giants are now tasked with maintaining the results when they travel to Bamako for the second leg on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
Cardoso warns Sundowns players
Cardoso has urged his Sundowns squad not to get complacent ahead of the CAF Champions League quarter-final return leg against Stade Malien in a week.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
The Pretoria giants dominated the first leg at home, but the Portuguese tactician insisted that the tie is far from being concluded despite the three-goal advantage.
He also warned his players against assuming the Champions League tie is already sealed, citing football’s history of stunning comebacks. The coach highlighted the difficulties of playing on the road.
“People must understand that 3-0 is only a scoreline,” Cardoso remarked post-match.
“Football history shows us that results like this can be overturned. If we go to Bamako without a serious approach, a strong lineup, and the right mindset, we could face major problems because the game there is completely different.
“The pitch will be dry, slowing the game and making it harder to control the ball under pressure. In the first half, you could already see how ruthless they can be. Tashreeq [Matthews], Jaden [Adams], and Tebza [Teboh Mokoena] all went down hard.
“The temperature will be very high, which will naturally slow the rhythm. Playing our preferred style will be a challenge. But with the experience and quality of our players, if we approach it properly, we can put in a solid performance and fight for the result. That’s our responsibility.”
Cardoso also speaks on Marumo Gallants' clash
Before heading to West Africa for the second leg, Sundowns must first focus on domestic competition, with a midweek Betway Premiership match against Marumo Gallants on the agenda.
Source: Getty Images
Cardoso emphasised that attention must initially be on beating Bahlabane Ba Ntwa in the Betway Premiership before switching focus to the second leg of the CAF Champions League tie with Stade Malien.
Sundowns face Marumo Gallants on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Tshwane before flying to Mali for the return leg on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, with the second-leg match scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2026.
Cardoso slams PSL over Sundowns' treatment
Briefly News also reported that Cardoso called out PSL over the unfair treatment of Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of their game against Stade Malien.
The Portuguese tactician is not happy with the organisers of the PSL schedule, as they are still the only South African club participating in continental football this season.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
