Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: Cardoso ‘needed to go to the toilet’ & more

Latest news on Mamelodi Sundowns in the last 24 hours, including ex-Kaizer Chiefs star asking Hugo Broos to take Grante Kekana and Keanu Cupido to World Cup, Miguel Cardoso explains leaving pitch in a hurry and more.

Sundowns unhappy with Sundowns’ display despite win

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admitted his side did not play the match he envisioned, but was ultimately satisfied with a hard-earned result after they secured a 1-0 win away to Esperance in Sunday’s CAF Champions League semi-final first leg in Rades.

“We need to play to win because when you don’t, you can suffer.”

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admitted his side did not play the match he envisioned, but was ultimately satisfied with a hard-earned result after they secured a 1-0 win away to Esperance in Sunday’s CAF… pic.twitter.com/AgTctcxl07

— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) April 13, 2026

“Obviously, the match was what I expected, despite us wanting to have a match played at the highest level as possible in terms of our possession and capacity to look for the spaces,” he said. “It was not really mission accomplished,” he stated.

“After we lost Grant the game became much more tricky. The intention was to close, take it to the last stages and keep the result.

“We don’t take anything for granted — the attitude in Pretoria has to be even stronger, even more commitment, even more tactical strictness and even more control of the match. We need to play to win because when you don’t, you can suffer,” Cardoso concluded.

I will be surprised if Broos don’t take Cupido & Kekana to World Cup

Junior Khanye reckons Mamelodi Sundowns defensive duo of Keanu Cupido and Grant Kekana have done enough to be considered for the Bafana Bafana World Cup squad.

“The two centre-backs Cupido and Kekana they did very well for me both of them are man of the match because psychologically in the second half they [Esperance] came with a game plan,” Khanye told iDiski TV.

"The two centre-backs Cupido and Kekana they did very well for me both of them are man of the match. I’ll be surprised if Hugo Broos doesn’t take the two of them [to the World Cup]."

iDiski TV analyst Junior Khanye reckons Mamelodi Sundowns defensive duo of Keanu Cupido and… pic.twitter.com/nezz0HSUhE

— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) April 13, 2026

“Yeah, they were lucky not to concede, but I’ll be surprised if Hugo Broos doesn’t take the two of them [to the World Cup]. Even if he does leave Cupido behind, for me he’s a quality player.

“I know he’s come back from injury, but you can’t play international football away at Esperance this way and you are overlooked. I’d take Mbokazi and these two seriously.

“The two what they didn’t do right was ball watching and defending square, but when the ball is played behind them nobody knew which guy to go to.”

‘I needed to go to the toilet!’

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has delved into why he sprinted to the dressing room at the sound of the final whistle in Tunis.

“I need to go to toilet, you see that I drink a lot of water during the match and I was really in a rush,” Cardoso told the media.

“I had all the pleasure to be president, some of the players during the match when there was a stop because of an injury they came to salute me.

“There’s a lot of respect for this club, there’s a lot of respect by the president, by the players and whoever, lot of respect by fans. Of course I will never forget the time I lived here, for sure people we will never forget the time we were here because we were very professional we gave the best to club, we gave our hearts to Esperance fans.

“You have to understand in my heart now there will always be a space for Esperance, but I’m a professional coach I have to make my job and there’s a big space in my heart for Mamelodi Sundowns.”