Miguel Cardoso Criticises Mamelodi Sundowns FC After Loss

Mamelodi Sundowns FC lost to Golden Arrows, Miguel Cardoso slams players for lack of focus, learn more about the team's current standing in the Betway Premiership

24 Aug 2026 By Henry Corbett · senior correspondent

Mamelodi Sundowns FC head coach Miguel Cardoso criticised his players after a 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows in the MTN8 semi-final.

What happened?

The match took place at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday, with Sede Junior Dion's 38th-minute strike proving to be the only goal of the match. Mamelodi Sundowns FC started the match well, but lost focus after Golden Arrows' goalkeeper substitution.

Cardoso's criticism

Cardoso pointed to the substitution as the incident that threw his side off course, stating that the team 'fell asleep' until halftime. He also drew a comparison to a previous fixture against Kaizer Chiefs, suggesting that the same pattern of poor positioning after losing possession had resurfaced.

Current standing

Mamelodi Sundowns FC is currently 3rd in the Betway Premiership, with 7 points from 3 games, having scored 6 goals and conceded 3, and will need to overturn the deficit in the second leg to advance to the MTN8 final.