Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso’s remark on the late sending-off of Teboho Mokoena after their 1-1 draw with Siwelele FC was a brief one. AFCON-bound referee Abongile Tom gave the Bafana Bafana midfielder marching orders in the 81st minute after a second yellow card.
The Portuguese mentor, in a subtle critique of Tom, pointedly suggested that an influential figure in the field actively undermined his team’s efforts to secure victory. The former Esperance Sportive de Tunis mentor acknowledged his team’s second-half dominance, which led to the equaliser.
Wednesday’s result means Sundowns stay second in the table despite having played one more game. Orlando Pirates, who have played 12 matches, are on 28 points, while the defending champions have accumulated 26.
WHAT CARDOSO SAID ABOUT MOKOENA’S RED CARD
“We had a massive control in the second half, we scored, but someone on the pitch was more clever than everyone else and decided to make the game difficult for us. And that’s the story of the game,” he told SuperSport TV in his post-match interview.
When directly questioned about Mokoena’s red card incident, Cardoso became evasive, eager to avoid disciplinary action while still making his point. He emphasised he was not naming the official.
“I said there was someone clever, I didn’t speak about the referee.” The coach concluded by challenging the media to draw their own conclusions about Mokoena’s dismissal, explicitly stating his fear of being sanctioned.
“It’s up to you to analyse, you had the TV, and you can say what you saw, not me. I don’t know. I don’t want to be punished.”
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