Miguel Cardoso Makes Candid Admission After Mamelodi Sundowns Beat Golden Arrows

• Mamelodi Sundowns beat Golden Arrows 1-0 at Loftus Versfeld to reach the Carling Knockout Cup semi-finals
• Iqraam Rayners scored the only goal through a second-half header as Arrows' defence frustrated Sundowns for long periods
• Coach Miguel Cardoso made an honest admission about his side's performance and revealed the tactical plan behind the win

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has openly acknowledged that his side found the going tough against Golden Arrows, despite booking a Carling Knockout Cup semi-final berth with a 1-0 victory at Loftus Versfeld.

Iqraam Rayners proved to be the difference-maker, heading home in the second half to send the Brazilians through at the expense of Abafana Bes'thende, who mounted a disciplined defensive effort that kept the Tshwane giants at bay for much of the contest.

Cardoso Praises Arrows' Defensive Resolve

Speaking after the final whistle, the Portuguese coach credited Golden Arrows for the structure they displayed at the back and conceded that breaking them down was no straightforward task. He described the encounter as a highly tactical affair, acknowledging the intensity of the match despite it producing just one goal.

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Cardoso noted that Sundowns had gone into the game fully aware of the defensive challenge they would face. His plan centred on stretching Arrows across the width of the pitch, shifting the ball from side to side to pull defenders out of position and open gaps in behind their defensive shape.

The Sundowns coach also indicated that his team had created chances before the interval and felt they could have taken a first-half lead, but was satisfied that his players maintained their composure and tactical discipline throughout the 90 minutes. He congratulated the squad for showing the mental stability required to eventually find the decisive breakthrough.

Sundowns Await Semi-Final Draw

With the quarter-final stage now behind them, Sundowns will learn their semi-final opponents once the remaining three last-eight fixtures are completed over the coming weekend.

The narrow margin of victory will give Cardoso much to reflect on ahead of a run of fixtures that will test the squad's depth and consistency as the season progresses.

Source: Briefly News