Miguel Cardoso Calls on Sundowns Fans Ahead of MTN8 Semi-Final Clash

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has called on supporters to rally behind the team ahead of their MTN8 semi-final second leg against Orlando Pirates on Saturday in Pretoria.

The Brazilians head into the decisive fixture on the back of a 2-0 victory over Magesi FC in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday night. The result came just days after their 1-1 draw with Pirates in the first leg at Orlando Stadium, leaving the tie finely balanced.

Cardoso, who only recently took charge of the side, praised his players for their resilience but admitted the squad is still going through a phase of building fitness and cohesion after competing at the FIFA Club World Cup.

“Look, we have 21 training sessions this season, 21. For us, it’s absolutely pre-season. We are on a schedule with matches one after the other. The team is being resilient but the aggression of every match is taking a big toll on us,” Cardoso told SuperSport.

The coach explained that limited preparation time has forced the technical team to rely more on younger players, while hinting that new additions will strengthen the squad in the near future.

“We had to bring the youngsters because the squad is smaller. For sure, it will be stronger in the future and then we’ll grow. Others will join the group so that we can have more power because we need more for the objectives ahead of us,” he added.

Cardoso also reflected on the challenges caused by Sundowns’ participation in the Club World Cup, which altered their normal pre-season program. He emphasized the importance of resilience and mental strength as the team continues to juggle multiple competitions.

“We knew that we need to be resilient, we need to be mentally strong, we need to fight for every match with the most energy we can so that we can put results that keep us in front. The next match will not be different,” he said.

Turning his focus to the weekend’s semi-final, Cardoso appealed directly to the Masandawana supporters to create a strong atmosphere at the stadium.

“We hope we have the Masandawana family filling our stadiums, that we get energy from them like today we felt them here. It will be a beautiful match for sure,” Cardoso noted.

With a place in the MTN8 final on the line, Sundowns will be looking to make home advantage count against defending champions Orlando Pirates.