Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso dismissed claims that he felt pressured to start Themba Zwane in their opening FIFA Club World Cup match on Wednesday, providing his rationale for the decision.
Cardoso’s men kicked off their Club World Cup campaign with a historic 1-0 victory against South Korea’s Ulsan HD, with veteran midfielder Zwane captaining the team.
A first-half goal from Iqraam Rayners at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, not only secured the win for the Betway Premiership champions but also marked the African continent’s first triumph at the 2025 tournament.
This result places them at the summit of Group F, which also features German giants Borussia Dortmund and Brazil’s Fluminense FC.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS BEGIN FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN WITH A WIN
The Ulsan HD match marked Sundowns’ return to action following their CAF Champions League final heartbreak at the hands of Pyramids FC.
The absence of veteran Bafana Bafana player Themba Zwane in both legs of that final had drawn considerable criticism from pundits, former players and supporters.
But on Wednesday, the 35-year-old Zwane played a solid 77 minutes for Masandawana before being replaced by Bathusi Aubaas.
MIGUEL CARDOSO DOWN PLAYS PRESSURE CLAIMS OVER DECISION TO PLAY THEMBA ZWANE
At the post-match press conference, Cardoso addressed whether public pressure influenced his decision to play the fan-favourite Themba Zwane.
“Regarding Themba, there are no ghosts from the past at all, or on me, the pressures from inside the club, with the board, with my players. You have pressure when you settle in a career of coaching like me,” said Cardoso.
“What happens is that Themba made a helluva two weeks of preparation, so that is the respect we need to have. People spoke a lot about that. It seems people didn’t understand he comes from a process of growth, since the moment he could enter the team and train,” explained Cardoso.
“It’s important to give him the right opportunities so he can perform, and today was the right opportunity for him to play
“So I had no problems to put him in, even having the risk to let people think I’m putting him in because of pressure.”
Cardoso added: “I made the decision consciously, without any kind of force, because I have such respect for my players that they know I don’t joke with them. We play fair, we trust, and we have a lot of values in our locker room that go beyond the question that was raised in the press.”
The Tshwane giants will shift their focus to their second match in the group stages against Borussia Dortmund at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, 21 June.
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