Miguel Cardoso Breaks Silence After Mamelodi Sundowns’ Shock CAF Champions League Exit

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has admitted that his team must take responsibility for their disappointing CAF Champions League elimination after Wiliete SC ended the South African giants’ hopes of defending their continental title.

The Brazilians suffered a major setback on Friday night after drawing 1-1 with the Angolan side at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. With the first leg having ended in a goalless draw, Wiliete progressed on the away-goals rule, bringing Sundowns’ title defence to an unexpected end.

The result represents a significant disappointment for a club that entered the competition as defending champions and had established itself as one of Africa’s leading football sides.

Cardoso made no attempt to hide his frustration following the elimination, admitting that Sundowns had failed to meet the standards expected of them.

“There’s no excuse, we should have done better. We all should have done better,” the Portuguese coach said.

His comments reflected the disappointment surrounding Sundowns’ early exit from a competition they had hoped to win again.

The Pretoria side appeared to be in a strong position when Tashreeq Matthews scored in the first half, giving the home supporters hope that the team would secure qualification for the next round.

However, Sundowns were unable to build on their advantage and put the tie beyond Wiliete’s reach. The visitors responded after the break, with Angolan international Mabululu scoring the equaliser that ultimately proved decisive.

Cardoso was particularly frustrated by his players’ inability to convert their opportunities into goals. According to his assessment, Sundowns controlled significant periods of the encounter but failed to make their dominance count where it mattered most.

The coach also acknowledged that his team struggled to manage the pressure after conceding, with emotions reportedly affecting their decision-making during a crucial stage of the match.

For a side with Sundowns’ experience and continental ambitions, those shortcomings proved costly.

Cardoso described the elimination as a collective failure involving both the players and the technical team. He maintained that Sundowns had created enough opportunities to achieve a better outcome but had not done enough to secure qualification.

The defeat is particularly painful given the club’s recent record in the competition. Sundowns had reached the CAF Champions League group stage in each of the previous 11 editions, according to the report, making this early exit an unusual setback.

Their elimination also means they will not defend the title they won last season after defeating Morocco’s AS FAR in the final.

Meanwhile, Wiliete SC have secured a historic place in the group stage, rewarding their efforts across the two legs against one of the continent’s most established clubs.

For Sundowns, attention will now turn to recovering from the disappointment and addressing the shortcomings exposed during the tie. Cardoso and his players will need to respond positively as they continue pursuing their remaining objectives this season.

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