Cardoso explains how Malien shocked Mamelodi Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admits his team was not prepared for the approach of Stade Malien during their CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg.

Sundowns lost the second leg 2-0 at the March 22 Stadium in Bamako, Mali on Sunday but still made it to the semi-final with an aggregate score of 3-2 but nearly threw away their huge advantage.

Malien scored just after one minute when Taddeus Nkeng headed in before Haman Mandjan extended their lead in the 40^th minute with Sundowns later playing with 10 when Aubrey Modiba was sent off in the 77^th minute.

Cardoso on how Sundowns got it wrong

“Nobody has won this season here, everybody lost, unfortunately we also lost,” Cardoso said on SABC.

“A result that does not make me happy at all. Especially because we started a little bit sloppy in the first half and on the approach and most of all, we did not understand how to start the game and how to take it to the last part.

🏆 ℂ𝔸𝔽 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖 🏆

🗣️ Masandawana coach Miguel Cardoso reflecting on their performance!

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(𝗔𝗚𝗚: 2⃣➖3⃣)

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“This team changed the organisation and put in more quick players in front. We had to press them high and because we suffered that first goal, it created some instability and we allowed them to do what they could.”

Cardoso concedes that his team did not take the right attitude into the game which allowed Malien to boss them and he had to issue a warning to his players at halftime.

Did poor mentality cost Masandawana?

“Because this team is not a team that builds with a lot of passes, it is a team that wants to put a lot of balls in the front,” he added.

“Our defence could not cope with it, understanding how to drop and when to drop and control spaces at the back. The pressure in the front was also not strong enough so we gave the opportunity to Stade Malien to play as comfortably as they could.

“At halftime, we had to correct our attitude. I said to the boys it was not a question of football but to play with the right attitude. I think we corrected it and brought ourselves in the second half.”

Cardoso’s side will now have to improve in the semi-final where they have a tough match against four-time winners Esperance.