Richards Bay’s Draw Hands Mamelodi Sundowns an Unwelcome Two-Year Streak

Despite the recent hiccup, Sundowns remain well-placed in the title chase, trailing only leaders Orlando Pirates by a solitary point but possessing a match in hand.

However, their recent form is concerning, with a lacklustre 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch FC last Wednesday—where they initially held the lead—and Sunday’s goalless draw against Richards Bay serving as a setback.

The last time Sundowns encountered a similar plight of consecutive matches without a win was at the close of the 2023/24 season, when they concluded with a 1-1 draw against TS Galaxy followed by a 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City.

This marks a first for Cardoso, who is yet to secure a win across two league fixtures, and he will be eager to avoid a third setback when Sundowns head to Polokwane City on Wednesday, as the Betway Premiership fixtures continue to come thick and fast.

The last instance of Sundowns failing to secure a win in three consecutive matches occurred in April 2023, with draws against Cape Town City, Moroka Swallows, and Lamontville Golden Arrows.

Since taking charge, Cardoso has overseen 46 encounters in the Betway Premiership, achieving 35 victories alongside eight draws and only three defeats.

Remarkably, this was only the fourth occasion in those 46 outings that Sundowns ended the match without finding the net.

Adding to the disappointment is the fact that Sundowns had won all of their previous 10 encounters with Richards Bay, making this the first instance in which they dropped points against them.

“It was a tough match as we anticipated. We witnessed a lot of duels on a very challenging pitch; other teams have struggled to secure victories here for various reasons,” Cardoso remarked to SuperSport.

“Richards Bay is a team that fights hard; their style of play may not be the most flamboyant, but they’re aggressive in transition, particularly when we attempted to secure points.”

“We couldn’t score here, and as a result, we took the initiative to push for a win in the later stages, which ultimately left us exposed.”