Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo has shared his thoughts on Mamelodi Sundowns’ defeat to Pyramids in the CAF Champions League.
the Tshwane giants, concluded their CAF Champions League campaign with a 3-2 aggregate loss to Egyptian club Pyramids FC, after a 2-1 second-leg defeat.
The first leg in Pretoria had finished 1-1, a result significantly impacted by Walid El Karti's late strike which gave Pyramids a vital away goal at Loftus Stadium.
Pyramids FC seized control early in Sunday's crucial second leg, with Fiston Mayele netting in the first half after a defensive blunder from Grant Kekana. Ahmed Samy then doubled their advantage in the 56th minute.
Although Iqraam Rayners found the net for Sundowns in the 75th minute, it proved to be a mere consolation. This outcome sadly confirms that Miguel Cardoso has now suffered two successive defeats in the CAF Champions League final as head coach.
Khumalo stated that fingers should not be pointed at Cardoso or any individual in the team, saying Sundowns lost as a team.
’I DON’T THINK IT’S PROPER TO BE POINTING FINGERS’
“For us to be pointing fingers, I don’t think it’s proper, because we lose as a team, we win as a team,” he said on SABC3.
“I should give it to Sundowns because they showed character in the last 30 minutes. Had they started like this in the first 45 minutes I think we’d be talking a different ball game.
“I think the subs that came on made a lot of difference, irrespective of Sales… Yes, I understand the guys wanted to Mshishi but in this game, Themba hasn’t played for quite some time and I strongly believe, yes the DNA is Sundowns – it’s combinational play, possession and all that.
“Look at the number of chances they created, they tried their level best but it was not meant to be. But I’m very proud of Sundowns players, the bench, and all those players that traveled with the team, Sundowns actually represented South African football very well.”
