Kinks for Cardoso to iron out if Sundowns to shed knockout chokers tag

Mamelodi Sundowns are South Africa’s most experienced and successful continental campaigners by far. They are also starting to earn a reputation as knockout-stage chokers.

That makes their progression to the 2024-25 Caf Champions League quarterfinals as second-placed qualifiers from group B, spurning top position as they missed chances and conceded sloppily for a draw against AS FAR in the last game, seem concerning for a repeat this campaign.

Yet there are factors that could also make this Downs’ year.

There was an hour in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against FAR at Loftus Versfeld that was powerful, all-dominant and sublime. When Downs could not add to Peter Shalulile's 12th-minute opener via a strong of chances, things got ragged and they conceded Amine Zouhzouh's 83rd-minute equaliser.

Coach Miguel Cardoso arrived with Sundowns on the back foot from their opening home draw against group minnows AS Maniema Union. That result played a role in predecessor Manqoba Mngqithi’s departure weeks later and the former Esperance de Tunis coach — who steered that club to last year’s Champions League final, past Rulani Mokwena’s Downs in the semis — being hired. Esperance conceded the 12th title for record winners Al Ahly in the final.

Cardoso might be the first to admit — and Sunday’s capitulation with mistakes at the end against FAR might be a further sign — his Sundowns are not quite ready to reach such heights yet. But the 52-year-old Portuguese preferred to put the attention on the positives of most of the performance against FAR — and how Downs have progressed after being under real threat in the group after a further away defeat against Raja Casablanca.

Cardoso believes his style of play — which aims to be stronger in defence than under Mngqithi, and refine the directness in attack — will be more solid by the time the quarterfinal is played in late March and early April, and some January signings will have been assimilated.

Namibian goal ace Peter Shalulile, who started 2024-25 slowly as some of the new additions in attack like Iqraam Rayners shone, has found form under Cardoso. He believes the coach’s style of play, which has yielded five wins, a defeat and a draw, is growing stronger.

“That’s why you can really see the train is going and we are ticking and finding our feet now,” said the striker, who kept to his reputation of scoring when it matters in Downs’ win against Maniema and draw against FAR in the last 10 days.

“You should take what you are given. Every year is different. This year we ended second but we’ll take it and move on — and see what we can do now we are going out of the group stages.”

Shalulile believes Cardoso’s experience of going to the final last season should count most in the knockout phase.

“He’s been there and knows exactly what is required. Him coming in has helped us with how they [the coaches] do things and how they play. He’s bringing that into our game and it’s really been good.”

Bafana Bafana utility star Thapelo Morena, played at right-back against FAR as national teammate Khuliso Mudau was suspended as one of Downs’ two red cards in the contentious loss against Raja, was less satisfied with how they blew the group lead.

“I think we need to work on our finishing and convert our chances as much as possible. In the first half we missed a lot of chances and we know a 1-0 score is not good in football. We’ve been trying to fix it because we know in the dying minutes is when teams come at us and try to get something,” he said.

Obviously everybody knew there was a bit of concern from knowing what the club went through for the last six years, so we needed to get a result — and we did it. And it’s really time to close this door — mission accomplished, very well done for the boys. A bitter sense — yes, it’s true — on the table, but that bitter sense should always be an energy to move forward, nothing more than that

—  Miguel Cardoso, Sundowns coach

Cardoso was asked, given Downs have not been able to progress to another final after winning the Champions League in 2016 despite reaching the knockout stage in six out of the last seven editions, if that statistic and the FAR lapse shows he needs to work on his team’s mental strength.

“It’s a good question,” he admitted. “Because indeed when you arrive at the last stages of a competition like this, you need to have a wonderful mindset and also very strong behaviour collectively.

“And regrettably tonight in the second half we were not at that level, so it’s clear that needs to grow.

“We are going to play against the best teams in the competition. And we are also one, so the other sides also have to worry about us. But indeed it’s important to manage time, manage games, control games without the ball sometimes because the other teams also have quality. But also control games with the ball — and that was something we did so well in the first half, trying to find the spaces.

“And then in the second half we just lost the sense we could continue to play like that. We were unable to find the passes and started some long balls and not going up on the pitch together, losing the ball — and then you are allowing them to attack.

“Of course this is maturity, which will be needed to help in the next rounds of the competition. But this will be necessary not only in the Champions League but also in the tough games the PSL always gives.

“We expect the team to grow day after day, but I think we can do better with that, for sure.”

The coach, though, is satisfied he has a team that is as strong as any in the last eight.

“We didn’t lose [against FAR]; we got the result. Everybody asked us to ensure we got the result that would take us to the next round. And now we understand the teams are all equal going into the next round and because of that being first or second is not necessarily a big difference. They are all strong, like us.

“Now it’s time to close the door on the Champions League. There is a long way until April, when we will play the next round. I believe by then we will be much stronger. We have had many problems with players who can reinforce the team. Not only do we have Mudau and [Bathusi] Aubaas who got red cards at Raja, but also [Aubrey] Modiba who got injured in that game and some players, like Mothobi [Mvala], coming from injuries.

“Obviously everybody knew there was a bit of concern from knowing what the club went through for the last six years, so we needed to get a result — and we did it. And it’s really time to close this door — mission accomplished, very well done for the boys. A bitter sense — yes, it’s true — on the table, but that bitter sense should always be an energy to move forward, nothing more than that.

“So let’s go now to prepare for the next two months — and it will be very hard in the championship in South Africa.”

Orlando Pirates, in form under Jose Riveiro and pushing seven-time successive champions Sundowns hard in the league, cruised to their first Champions League quarter unbeaten and top of group C.

On the face of it, this could be Bucs' year in Caf, Downs taking a back seat. In the knockout phases, though, experience is king. The Brazilians have plenty of that — and if Cardoso gets his formula right, it can take them far.