Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has reacted to his side’s defeat in the CAF Champions League quarters against Stade Malien saying he’s absolutely not happy with the outcome but pleased that the side progressed in the competition.
Sundowns took a 3-0 lead in the first leg of the quarter-final clash at home but lost 2-0 in Bamako on Sunday with a man down to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
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They have progressed to semi-final for the fourth time in a row, setting up an enticing meeting with Cardoso’s former side Esperance de Tunis.
Cardoso said after trailing at half-time, he told his charges to correct their attitude but once they did that, they lost Aubrey Modiba to a red card which made things difficult for the 2016 champions.
However overall he is pleased Sundowns is still in the competition.
“I want to remember that no one won this season here [Bamako] everybody lost,” said Cardoso.
“Unfortunately, we also lost. A result that doesn’t make me happy at all especially because it comes from first half where I think we were a little bit sloppy in approach. Most of all we didn’t understand how to start the game and take it all the way to the last third.
“This team changed the organization a little bit more, put players in the front. We had to press them high. We didn’t press them as high as we should because we suffered the first goal, we didn’t have some stability, and we allowed them to do what they want because this team is a team that wants to pass to the front. Our defence could not cope and pressure on the front was also not strong enough.
“So, at half time important to correct the attitude. Mostly I said to the boys that it was not a question of football, is a question of attitude and the right attitude to play. I think we corrected it we brought ourselves to the game in the second half in the right way, not only press hard and control the game, we could have scored.
“And after that, the red card to Modiba brings a lot of bad things to us and brings a lot of bad things regarding obviously the last 15 minutes of the match.
“Obviously not happy that we lost the match, absolutely not. Happy for the qualification, happy for the club to fight for something more, for the players that reach the semi-final again, for the fans in South Africa and obviously for our staff members and technical staff.
“Happy for myself of course for being in African Champions League third semi-final, obviously makes me very happy as a coach.”
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