Miguel Cardoso Opens Up on Seeing Mamelodi Sundowns Star Crying After Difficult Season
- Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso opened up on Malibongwe Khoza's turnaround after the defender won Man of the Match in a 3-0 win
- Khoza, 22, was sent to the DStv Diski Challenge squad last season but has featured in 8 of Sundowns' first 10 matches this campaign
- Cardoso shared a candid account of what the young defender went through before his fortunes changed under the Portuguese coach
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Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has spoken candidly about the personal struggles Malibongwe Khoza endured last season, revealing he witnessed the 22-year-old defender in tears before his fortunes turned around this campaign.
Khoza was named Man of the Match following Sundowns' 3-0 victory over Siwelele on Wednesday, a result that underscored just how far the young defender has come. He has now featured in eight of the reigning champions' first ten matches this season, a sharp contrast to his output last campaign when he managed only ten starts and was deployed in the DStv Diski Challenge squad late in the season to secure game time.
**Cardoso on Khoza's Difficult Period**
The Portuguese coach did not shy away from describing the emotional toll that period took on Khoza. "I am pretty satisfied to see him receive Man of the Match; he deserves it. He had tough times last year, tough times — I saw him crying, believe me, I saw him crying," Cardoso said.
He added that the coaching staff consistently reminded Khoza that his opportunity would come if he remained consistent. "We always told him that the moments would appear; consistency would speak for him. He started the pre-season this year very well; there was proper energy to come back," Cardoso said.
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Khoza's return to prominence follows a strong pre-season, which earned him a place in a competitive defensive pool alongside Grant Kekana, Mothobi Mvala, Kegan Johannes, Khulumani Ndamane and the injured Keanu Cupido.
**Cardoso Warns Against Complacency**
Despite his satisfaction at Khoza's progress, Cardoso was careful to stress that the defender still has significant room to grow. "There's still growth on Mali, there's still a lot of growth on Ndamane also, all the young players on the team," he said.
The coach also offered a broader message to the squad, noting that even experienced players can fall out of favour on fine margins. "Keagan was playing at the beginning of the season consistently, and now he's not in the team; sometimes small details take a player out or put a player in [the starting XI]," he explained.
Cardoso concluded by reinforcing the club's collective ambition. "We still think we can do more, because even when you make 97 passes out of 100, it doesn't mean those passes cannot be more forward or more in the right places," he said.
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Source: Briefly News
