Mamelodi Sundowns Face Critical 15-Day Phase That Could Shape Their Season

In the end, Sundowns secured a convincing win, reclaiming the top spot in the league, now two points clear of title challengers Orlando Pirates, with both clubs having eight matches remaining.

The players will next face Durban City away on Tuesday in another significant encounter, followed by a trip to Tunisia for the first leg of their CAF Champions League semi-final against Esperance on June 12.

Following that, Sundowns will head to Polokwane City for domestic league action on June 15, before welcoming Esperance for the second leg of the semi-final on June 18.

How the team fares in this series could heavily influence their season—and Cardoso’s future at the helm.

“It wasn’t an easy match. As I mentioned before the game, no PSL match comes without its challenges. The key question was whether the players grasped the message. That goal just before half-time certainly created some jitters,” Cardoso stated while speaking to SuperSport.

“But the message was effectively communicated at half-time, stressing the need for commitment and taking control of the game. We aimed to score the fourth goal to seal it, and I’m pleased they achieved that.”

“The players really put in a great effort. The starters were equally dedicated, and we are looking ahead, with another match already on Tuesday.”

Having previously managed Esperance, Cardoso will face his old team in pursuit of reaching the Champions League final for the third consecutive year, and for the second time with Sundowns, who suffered a surprise defeat to Pyramids last season.

“At the moment, my focus isn’t on the Champions League,” he remarked. “My attention is solely on the next match in Durban, and we will have time to prepare for Esperance afterwards.”

“The most important thing is that we consistently score more goals than our opponents. If we can do that, we’ll be heading in the right direction.”

Sundowns’ victory against Chippa marked their ninth consecutive win in the league.