Mamelodi Sundowns beat Marumo Gallants 1-0 in CAF Champions League

Miguel Cardoso, head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, called on his players to demonstrate a reaction to the unexpected exit from the CAF Champions League, which occurred during the match against Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout play-off round at Loftus Versfeld stadium on Tuesday.

The elimination followed a draw with Angolan side Wiliete SC on Friday, thus ending hopes of defending the continental title won last season.

This result was a serious blow for the giants from Tshwane, who made participation in the Champions League their main goal, despite having already won the MTN8 and FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup this season.

Cardoso acknowledged that disappointment would be difficult to overcome, but insisted that his team must shift its focus to the remaining competitions. He stated: 'For the rest of the season, it means we must concentrate even more on the competitions we have yet to play.'

The coach noted upcoming matches: 'We already have a Carling Knockout qualifying match on Tuesday, followed by an important championship match against Durban City on Saturday. And then we will have the Super Cup final, so there are many trophies to fight for; obviously, we will not forget what it means to be eliminated from the Champions League.'

The Portuguese manager recognized the significance of this failure, especially given Sundowns' recent history in the tournament. The club reached the finals three times in a row before winning the title last year, and it was expected that they would qualify for the group stage for the tenth consecutive time.

He added: 'It is hard for the club, and hard for the coaches, as you can imagine. For me, it is hard after being in three finals in a row, and it is hard for the club because it was expected to be the tenth time in the group stage consecutively.' Cardoso concluded that it might be an important lesson to use for further development.

Sundowns retain a chance to win domestic awards and will also face USM Alger in the CAF Super Cup at Loftus Versfeld stadium on November 8. Nevertheless, Cardoso believes that the team's reaction to the loss to Wiliete will determine the course of the remainder of their campaign.

'We won two trophies and are leading the South African league, but this is a major play-off,' he said. 'It is a big slap in the face. What will make us stronger is how we react, because there are so many things to win.'

Cardoso also called for collective self-reflection, acknowledging that the exit requires an honest assessment from all club members. He emphasized: 'As far as I understand, when we win, everyone wins, and when we lose, everyone loses. We need to have a lot of joint reflection, but Sundowns will talk about the greatness that follows this defeat.'

Tuesday's match against Gallants gives Sundowns the first opportunity to respond on the field. After the defense of the continental title is over, the pressure is now on Cardoso and his players to show that they are capable of recovering and turning disappointment into new determination.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso expressed hope for the quick return of Ronwen Williams to fitness, but Tebogo Mokone's injury status remains uncertain ahead of the CAF Champions League return match against Viliete SC on Friday.

Mokone was substituted during the match that ended in a goalless draw against the Angolan club in the first stage of the second preliminary round on Sunday. This raised concerns about his participation in the decisive match, which will take place at Loftus Versfeld stadium.

Cardoso reported that the midfielder sustained a ligament injury similar to one he suffered while playing for the national team. He stated: 'Tebogo, it is a minor injury to the ligament that was injured with the national team. We do not yet know the full extent of the injury, but he could not continue the game.'

The Sundowns coach hopes the injury is not serious, although the club will determine the extent of the damage after further examinations. He added: 'So, let's hope it's nothing major, and we can recover him; he will be sent for examination.'

Mokone's potential absence is causing concern among the Brazilians as they prepare for the match that determines qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage. Meanwhile, Williams did not take the field after feeling discomfort following contact during training. However, Cardoso expects a quick recovery for the goalkeeper.

Cardoso explained that the decision to keep Williams on the bench was a precautionary measure, as the club did not want to risk aggravating the problem. He emphasized: 'It was important to protect him from something that could be, say, more aggressive or that would put him at risk in the future. But no, not really. So we expect his quick recovery.'

Williams' expected recovery will be welcome news for Sundowns, although his participation in Friday's match will depend on his progress. After the disappointing performance in Angola, Sundowns must find a way to overcome Viliete in Pretoria to maintain its continental ambitions. Cardoso hopes both players can contribute, but Mokone's condition remains the main immediate issue as the team awaits the results of his medical assessment.