Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has slammed the condition of the Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium turf in Atteridgeville, calling it “very difficult” to play on.
The Portuguese tactician’s complaint came soon after the Brazilians hammered visiting Richards Bay FC 4-1 in a Betway Premiership match on Saturday. It was a fruitful evening for Sundowns, who responded to last Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat by Golden Arrows in convincing fashion.
After collecting maximum points, Masandawana climbed to the top of the log table, where they are a point better than second-placed Sekhukhune United, who have played a game less.
While Sundowns appeared to flow as they dominated Richards Bay FC, Cardoso was not entirely satisfied with their execution and blamed it on the pitch. The Tshwane giants have been using Lucas Moripe Stadium for their home games this season although they have Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria as an alternative venue which they, however, share with rugby franchise The Blue Bulls.
“You can have a bad day but cannot have two. Very difficult pitch to play football unfortunately, and for a team that wants to play good football it’s very hard,” Cardoso said on SuperSport TV.
“But the boys knew that it should not relate with that but the capacity they have and they started very strong.
“It was important to start strong, start scoring, get the confidence, don’t allow hopes because sometimes when you cannot score you create doubts on yourselves and after that not the result you have.”
A PLEA TO MAMELODI SUNDOWNS FANS
The loss to Arrows was Sundowns’ first league defeat of the 202526 season and the second of the term after they were eliminated from the MTN8 by Orlando Pirates at the semi-final stage.
The two losses left Cardoso feeling the heat and he has made a passionate plea to Masandawana fans, asking them to rally behind the team.
“I just want to tell the Masandawana family again to support the team,” added the former Esperance coach.
“It’s just a team [Sundowns] with a lot of new players that’s just arrived. Some of them and the team is growing, it’s going to grow. Obviously, sometimes setbacks don’t help but that’s got a lot to do and a lot to achieve.
“Looking forward with enthusiasm, involving everybody and it’s the only way to have results and that’s how Sundowns has build the power in the last years.”
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