Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Miguel Cardoso, reflected on his side’s surprising 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy on Tuesday, explaining that the defeat was largely due to fatigue from a hectic fixture schedule.
After a dominant 4-1 victory over Orlando Pirates just a few days earlier, Sundowns struggled to find their rhythm against TS Galaxy, with Kamogelo Sebelebele scoring the only goal of the match. Despite having the better chances, Cardoso admitted that the team’s lack of energy played a significant role in their downfall.
“We didn’t have the energy we needed. It was our fourth match in 72 hours, and we were penalized for that,” Cardoso explained. “We had the better opportunities, but we couldn’t convert them. Then we conceded just before halftime, and that drained our energy for the second half.”
Following the goal, Cardoso made tactical changes, bringing on Thapelo Morena and Iqraam Rayners, but despite their efforts, TS Galaxy’s solid defense stood firm.
“It’s normal that when a team is defending, they try to play on the counter, making it difficult for us to attack with full energy. But they defended well, and we have to give them credit for that,” said the coach.
This loss marked Cardoso’s first defeat in the league since taking over at Sundowns. With the Brazilians still leading the Betway Premiership by nine points, Cardoso will now turn his attention to the upcoming Nedbank Cup, with the focus on bouncing back. However, he remains cautious as second-place Pirates still have two games in hand.
