Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has reacted to the MTN8 semi-final draw, which has set up a blockbuster clash against rivals Orlando Pirates.
‘The Brazilians’ and ‘The Buccaneers’ started the 2025/26 season on a high, advancing to the semi-finals after convincing quarter-final wins over the weekend.
Pirates eliminated Polokwane City FC after a 2-0 win in a match that was played on Saturday in front of a sold-out crowd at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Meanwhile, Masandawana secured a 4-0 triumph over Richards Bay FC on Sunday evening at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
While acknowledging the significant threat posed by Pirates, he feels the result will simply come down to whichever of the two teams is stronger when they meet.
CARDOSO – ‘MAY BE BEST ONE WIN’
“There’s still a lot of work to do, the moments of the team is the moments that the teams are still going to develop throughout the season a lot,” said Cardoso.
“Obviously, there’s always an outcome, an energy outcome from the dispute especially considering that it will be two matches.
“The strongest in that moment usually wins in two matches. Let’s see how it will be. Obviously, I’d like to be in the point where I have [the whole] team when we arrived in that moment.
“But my position in the team is to think about the next match. We have Stellenbosch FC away, [Kaizer] Chiefs away and eventually there might be a swap in the calendar.
“There’s a lot of challenges, we have to play Magesi FC, AmaZulu FC. So, it will be quite hectic for us but my role here is to trust people in charge of the club to make [the team] as strong as possible and myself to grow the group as strong as possible.
“I believe we are up to the challenges. They’re are big but we are up for them. I think that us and Pirates are for sure in an emotional discomfortable position but we knew that it could happen. May the best one win.”
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