Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has addressed the recent run of goals drying up with only four scored in their last six games across all competitions.
Sundowns have lost two games during this run, the 2-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in the league and with the same scoreline in the Nedbank Cup semi-final against Kaizer Chiefs.
In the previous six games prior, they had been free-scoring, with 15 goals netted and only five conceded, which Cardoso says is normal based on the standard of opposition during the separate periods.
“It’s important to understand which kind of games you’re playing, the last was twice against Esperance, the one against Sekhukhune we scored in normal time in the 90th minute and not given but okay we scored one, went through,” he said.
“We then played Al Ahly, you play a semi-final of Nedbank Cup against Kaizer Chiefs, it’s important to understand who you are playing with or against – also for sure that number will drop of goals scored, it’s normal when you increase the level of opponents.
“But also, you must understand the moment we score four goals, go check how the other team played against us, most of them in back five, some in back six, dropping wingers to follow our full-backs and we struggle to create.
“When we played AmaZulu it was a narrow game and not beautiful because they defend and defend — we play Sekhukhune they do the same, the defended for 90 minutes plus 30, and no disrespect to the teams and intentions, I’m just stating this.
“Then it’s obvious if they close so much you will not score goals coming from the sky, you just need to score more than them, and I believe now until the end of the season, that is what we will face, a lot of narrow teams with high stimulus to not concede against us but I believe we will always score one more than the opponent to get the results we need to get.”
Sundowns are currently in Cairo for their second leg semi-final against Al Ahly which is evenly poised at 0-0 ahead of their clash at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday.
