Miguel Cardoso, the coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, stated that his team is being subjected to targeted attacks from referees in the form of yellow cards and suspensions, while their opponents, Orlando Pirates, receive more favorable treatment.
Cardoso condemned the criticism directed at the team before the MTN8 semi-final, the second match which will take place at Lamontville Golden Arrows on Sunday afternoon at King Zwelithini Stadium. He believes that Mamelodi Sundowns continues to improve over time.
Sundowns will face Arrows at 15:00, needing a win after a 1-0 defeat in the first match at Lucas Masterpiece Moriphe Stadium last Saturday. This loss intensified scrutiny on the team, especially given their instability at the start of the season.
Prior to this defeat, Sundowns had won three games and drawn one. This allowed them to secure first place in the Betway Premiership table alongside champions Orlando Pirates and advance to the MTN8 semi-finals after defeating Polokwane City in the quarter-finals.
Despite victories and an aggressive attack, the team was still criticized for goals conceded, particularly from set pieces. Their weak defense continued to show problems, as they conceded 5-2 against AmaZulu in Loftus on Wednesday, both to Arrows and in the league.
Despite the win and powerful attack, Sundowns continued to be analyzed due to the goals conceded. Knowing they still have a chance to improve their play against Arrows in Durban, Cardoso considers the criticism of the team unfair.
“The team will grow steadily,” Cardoso stated. “The more stability the team gains, the better it will become. The higher the quality, the better the team will be. Players and coaches are not bad after one match; they will constantly improve over time.”
Cardoso believes that the team has not shown its best level since the beginning of the current season and the previous one due to insufficient defensive protection from the referees. He even insisted that their arch-rivals received more protection than others.
“I am unhappy with seeing my players receiving so many yellow cards. It is worth noting that we have already received 15 yellow cards in six games,” Cardoso noted. “It is hard to understand how a team like Sundowns, which dominates matches—looking at ball possession and statistics—still receives so many yellow cards.”
He added: “Last season we had 53 yellow cards, and Pirates had 28. We had four red cards, and Pirates had zero. Yellow cards lead to suspensions as the season progresses. These suspensions affect us in the later stages of the season. I appeal to the referees: please pay attention to how my team is being targeted.”
“We hope this situation can be corrected. We want our players to play in matches until the end, just like the teams we compete against. The rules are the same for everyone.”
One of the Sundowns players whom Cardoso regretted the lack of referee protection for this season was Tebogo Mokokena. The Bafana Bafana international, who returned after the World Cup, sustained an injury in the first match of the season against Polokwane City.
Mokokena missed the next four Sundowns matches and returned to play during the thrashing victory over Usutu, scoring a goal from a set piece. Cardoso is pleased with the return of his defensive midfielder in full fitness, believing he will be a great asset in the future, starting with the match against Abafana Bes'tende on Sunday.
“When you have the best available players, the team, coaches, and players become stronger,” said Cardoso. “I don't need to talk about myself or the quality of Tebogo. He is a very stable player in the squad. He is an important player.”
“In midfield, unfortunately, we lost Jayden Adams, whom we should value. Therefore, when a pair is broken, and we lose both players who gave us stability throughout the season, any team will suffer and face difficulties.”
“We lost even more—in the central defensive zone, we lost Kian Kupido. We lost Bryan Leon, and he is gradually returning. So we need to support these guys. They intend to perform well. Support from everyone will be key to helping us find stability.”
