Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has weighed in on the highly anticipated MTN8 semi-final draw, which will see his side face fierce rivals Orlando Pirates.
The draw sets up a thrilling two-legged “blockbuster” clash between two teams that have started the 2025/26 season on a high note.
The Brazilians and the Buccaneers both secured their spots in the semi-finals with convincing quarter-final victories over the weekend.
Pirates, playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, defeated Polokwane City with a 2-0 win. Sundowns followed suit on Sunday, triumphing 4-0 over Richards Bay FC at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
While acknowledging the significant threat posed by a strong Pirates side, Cardoso believes the outcome will simply come down to which team is performing at its peak when they meet.
In his comments, he emphasized the early stage of the season and the need for both teams to continue to develop. “There’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.
“The teams are still going to develop throughout the season a lot.”
‘THE STRONGEST IN THAT MOMENT USUALLY WINS’
Cardoso also noted the unique energy of a two-match dispute, suggesting that the stronger team in that specific moment will ultimately win. “The strongest in that moment usually wins in two matches. Let’s see how it will be,” he stated.
Despite the emotional weight of facing a rival, he maintained a pragmatic approach. He emphasized that his primary focus remains on the next match on the calendar, mentioning upcoming fixtures against Stellenbosch, Chiefs, Magesi, and AmaZulu.
His role, as he sees it, is to build the strongest possible group. “My role here is to trust people in charge of the club to make [the team] as strong as possible and myself to grow the group as strong as possible,” he explained.
Confident in his team's ability, he concluded with a sportsmanlike message to his rivals, acknowledging the mutual challenge: “I think that us and Pirates are for sure in an emotional discomfortable position but we knew that it could happen. May the best one win.”
