Miguel Cardoso Delivers an Honest Confession About Mamelodi Sundowns’ Title Fate
- Miguel Cardoso has delivered an honest opinion about the fate of Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership title race
- The Mamelodi Sundowns head coach shared his views on the title race after they dropped crucial points against Kaizer Chiefs
- The former Esperance manager also spoke on the injury issues the Brazilians are facing in the closing stages of the season
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has shared his thoughts about the Brazilians' chances of winning the Betway Premiership ahead of Orlando Pirates this season.
The Portuguese tactician made the comments after the Pretoria giants dropped two important points in their Betway Premiership title race with Orlando Pirates against Kaizer Chiefs.
Source: Getty Images
The Brazilians were pegged by the visitors in the first half by Flavio da Silva, before their new signing Brayan Leon levelled the score in the second half.
Sundowns currently sit at the top of the standings with a three-point cushion over the Sea Robbers. However, the Buccaneers could climb above them if they beat Magesi FC in Polokwane on Saturday, May 9, 2026, thanks to their superior goal difference.
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Abdeslam Ouaddou's side are expected to be the champions if both teams maintain winning form in their final two league fixtures, bringing an end to a 14-year wait for the league crown and halting Sundowns’ dominance after eight consecutive titles.
Cardoso on Betway Premiership title race
Despite that scenario, Cardoso feels the race is far from decided, pointing out how unpredictable football can be during the decisive stages of a season.
He stressed that Sundowns must focus on claiming all six available points against Siwelele FC in Atteridgeville on Saturday and TS Galaxy in Mbombela next Tuesday.
“Our responsibility is to take maximum points from the matches ahead of us and then see how everything unfolds,” said Cardoso.
“We now have to recover the players quickly because another important game is around the corner. We know Siwelele will be difficult opponents, especially after beating Chiefs 2–0, so we need to perform at our highest level.
“It’s going to be challenging because injuries have already reduced our options.”
Source: Getty Images
Cardoso gives injury update
Cardoso added that player management becomes even more crucial during the final stretch of the campaign, especially with several Sundowns players having already participated in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, while others could still feature at next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Portuguese tactician acknowledged that injuries can interrupt momentum and consistency, though he noted that every side must deal with similar setbacks over the course of a demanding season.
Sundowns are likely to be without Keanu Cupido and Arthur Sales for the remainder of the campaign, while Morena and Monnapule Saleng remain fitness doubts ahead of the final fixtures.
“At the moment we are losing players, and perhaps we are fortunate that it didn’t happen much earlier,” Cardoso said.
“Every coach relies heavily on his top players. A coach can appear outstanding, but once he loses key players, people suddenly judge him differently.
“The important thing is to reach this stage of the season with your strongest squad available and push as far as possible. We’ll continue fighting and see where it takes us.”
Cardoso slams ref after Kaizer Chiefs draw
Briefly News earlier reported that Cardoso hit out at the referee in charge of the Mamelodi Sundowns clash against Kaizer Chiefs in their Betway Premiership fixture against Kaizer Chiefs.
The Pretoria giants dropped two crucial points in the title race with Orlando Pirates, and the Portuguese tactician was not happy with the officiating at the end of the match.
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Source: Briefly News
