Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has admitted the youngsters in the team have added value as he deals with the absence of key players at the start of the campaign. However, the coach pleads for patience with the club fan base.
Sundowns opened their 2026/27 Betway Premiership on Tuesday with a hard fought 3-2 win over TS Galaxy in Mbombela and without some key players like Teboho Mokoena who picked up an injury in the MTN8 victory over Polokwane City. This is in addition to the tragic loss of Jayden Adams. The situation has forced Cardoso to rely on youngsters especially in midfield like Bennett Mokoena.
The coach said he believes in the youngsters and they continue to grow in their game however maintains the team is build around the core of experienced players and there shouldn’t be impossible expectations on the youngsters.
“As Teboho was not present we brought in a young player that we believe so much [in] for the future and for the moment,” said Cardoso.
“But we cannot expect that he’ll be the master of the game, but we expect him to help, and I think he did his job. As much as he plays, the best he will become. I’m speaking about Bennet. You saw Bennet again coming back for the second time and entering from the bench and how he brought energy.
“Of course, here and there we see that he tries to make shots from places that probably he has to pass the ball. But that’s exactly how he’ll grow his game compared to the game he was used to playing in the DDC and we are pretty happy about the job that he did.
“And Mali [Malibongwe Khoza] coming back today also a young player we have still the answers to put in like Siyanda Ndlovu. But a team cannot be built for the level of challenges that we have around just youngsters.
“So, the base of the team will have to be consistently the players that were here already that put the team up to the Champions League final and victory and two Champions League finals in a row. So, the team has to be built around those players.
“But obviously the youngsters will continue to be provided opportunities. Also, Kutlwano [Letlhaku] played in the last match, today he was not there we are happy with the work that they are doing.
“But I just ask the yellow nation to understand that we need to be patient with the boys, continue to give them opportunities. But don’t expect them to carry the team because especially in the more difficult moments it’s more difficult for a youngster to have that capacity, the background, the emotional stability to decide matches for the team.”
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