Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has identified three major factors that contributed to his side’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Al-Hilal on Friday night.
Speaking after the CAF Champions League Group C clash at Amahoro Stadium, the Portuguese tactician suggested that a combination of internal wastefulness and gruelling external circumstances created a “perfect storm” that derailed the South African champions.
The defeat marks Masandawana’s first loss of 2026, a result that sees Al-Hilal leapfrog them to the summit of the group. Despite Sundowns dictating the early tempo and dominating possession, the match turned on its head just before the interval when veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango conceded a penalty, which Mohamed Abdelrahman coolly dispatched.
In his post-match analysis, Cardoso shielded his squad from purely tactical criticism, narrowing the defeat down to three specific hurdles.
1. LACK OF CLINICAL EDGE
The first and most immediate issue Cardoso highlighted was the team’s inability to punish their opponents. Despite controlling long stretches of the game, the “Brazilians” lacked their usual sharpness in the final third.
“I think we lost because we didn’t convert our chances. It is clear we had more than enough opportunities to score,” Cardoso lamented. “The story of the game is obviously the chances we didn’t take. I remember three in the first half and four in the second; you have to convert those to at least get a draw.”
2. EVIDENT PHYSICAL FATIGUE
The second factor was a visible dip in energy levels. Coming off a dense fixture list, Cardoso noted that his players struggled to maintain their intensity, which led to the defensive hesitation that allowed Jean-Claude Girumugisha to double Al-Hilal’s lead early in the second half.
“It was clear at times that the team was more tired than Al-Hilal,” the coach observed. “Despite rotating a few players, the fatigue was evident. You feel that in the number of mistakes you make.”
3. TRAVELLING LOGISTICS
Finally, Cardoso pointed to the arduous journey to Rwanda as the third catalyst for the result. With Al-Hilal playing their home games in Kigali due to the conflict in Sudan, the visiting side faced substantial travel demands.
“We had a long trip with stops that took almost a full day of travelling,” Cardoso revealed. He suggested that the recovery time was insufficient, leaving the squad depleted for such a high-stakes encounter.
The result leaves Sundowns with little time to dwell on excuses. They must now return home to face Goroma United in the Nedbank Cup on Wednesday, before jetting off again for a crucial continental showdown against FC Lupopo in the DRC.
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