Cardoso Frustrated as Sundowns Prioritize Club World Cup Over Pirates Clash

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso was not pleased with his team’s final preparations before their 4-1 win over Orlando Pirates last Saturday.

The day before the match, Sundowns players attended the 2025 FIFA World Cup trophy tour, which Cardoso believes was a distraction.

“I was so pissed off because we had a day to think about the World Cup when we should be thinking about Pirates," Cardoso said. "For us, the focus is always the next match."

Despite this, Sundowns delivered a dominant performance, with Grant Kekana, Teboho Mokoena, and Lucas Ribeiro Costa (brace) scoring. Pirates' only goal came from Deon Hotto.

Concerns Over Loftus Versfeld Pitch

Cardoso also criticized the poor pitch conditions at Loftus Versfeld, which affected the match.

“For me, better pitch quality means better football. Our team suffered because of the surface,” he said.

The coach disclosed that although Sundowns made an effort to prepare the pitch for the match, they had little influence over the stadium's state.

Before returning to CAF Champions League play in March, Sundowns will now turn their attention to TS Galaxy in an attempt to win the PSL for the eleventh time in a row.