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'This group has a lot of quality players and obviously Themba is one of them,' said Cardoso.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso looks on during the CAF Champions League Final 2nd leg soccer match against Pyramids FC in Cairo, Egypt, 01 June 2025. EPA/Mohamed Hossam
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso issued a candid assessment following their 2-1 defeat to Pyramids FC in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final which took place at the 30 June Stadium on Sunday night.
Pyramids edged the overall tie 3-2 on aggregate after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The Egyptian club made history by claiming their first continental championship. Cardoso insisted that the Cairo-based outfit displayed greater desire to lift the trophy.
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“When I say that it’s important to compete at the highest level, that is exactly the answer that I’ve given so many times this season when playing Champions League,” said a crestfallen Cardoso.
“Why is it so difficult to beat teams from the north of Africa? It’s because those teams can play football but they also play at a high level. Every duel is a life changer and every ball they fight for, they fight with all the energy they have.
“In some moments, I felt like those were things that were missing from our part. I don’t think that we were worse when playing football against Pyramids.
“It was shown in both matches but Pyramids were competent and capable in both matches to position themselves in a way that prevented us from playing the way we wanted. But most of all, they gave their lives for every ball they played for and that’s what makes a difference in the final sometimes.”
One of the night’s biggest talking points was Cardoso’s decision to leave veteran midfielder Themba Zwane on the bench. Zwane, a crucial figure in Sundowns’ 2016 title-winning campaign, was an unused substitute, a move the Portuguese tactician chose not to justify.
“I totally understand what kind of an answer you want and you are looking for but it’s not time to speak about individual performance of players. This group has a lot of quality players and obviously Themba is one of them,” Cardoso added.
“It’s not a matter of accepting that we lost but it’s a matter of accepting that we didn’t play a game at a level that we should have played in the first three parts of the game.
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“We needed to play in a different way to be able to fight. When we did, by not worrying about the other side and only worried about what we could do we could do, we have even won.”
