Cardoso wants Sundowns to stay true to identity

“We can disassociate the result with the performance because we can’t produce results without style of play,” he said.

Not only is Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso focused on securing victories, he is equally determined to ensure his side stays true to the club’s identity.

His comments came after a narrow 1-0 win over Durban City in a Betway Premiership match at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday night, where Katlego Ntsabeleng netted the decisive goal.

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It was not a vintage performance from the reigning champions, but the result saw them climb to 56 points, two clear of Orlando Pirates, with seven fixtures remaining.

Cardoso wants team to play Sundowns way

While many would be happy to get over the line in the premiership race, Cardoso wants his team to continue playing the Sundowns way.

“We need to obviously understand that we have a lot of matches. Managing the team in the right moments and getting victories is very important for us so that we can fight in every game with the right energy,” he said.

“We must focus on the performance and playing well because if we take our game in another direction, then we can be penalised. We can disassociate the result with the performance because we can’t produce results without style of play.”

The victory marked Sundowns’ 10th consecutive league win, a run that stretches back to the restart of the campaign following the Africa Cup of Nations break in January, beginning with a clash against ORBIT College.

“If we want to be champions, it means we must extend the sequence of wins and continue getting points because the league is very tough,” Cardoso added.

“Let’s look ahead and keep winning games because there are no margins for mistakes and that’s what we need to do.”

Special praise for Ntsabeleng

Cardoso also reserved special praise for Ntsabeleng, who has emerged as one of the team’s standout performers since the league resumed.

The winger, who is currently on loan from Major League Soccer outfit FC Dallas, struggled to make an impact in the first half of the season.

His match-winning goal against City came after a Man of the Match performance in the previous fixture against Chippa United, where Masandawana ran out 4-1 winners.

“He had to adapt to our way of playing and wait for his opportunity. He is doing well and he has been training very consistently,” the Portuguese coach said.

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“I really praise him for the attitude he has and since January, he came with the right mentality and he’s doing well and we will need him for the future.”