Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso delivered a fiery response after his side’s third consecutive draw, this time against Kaizer Chiefs on Wednesday evening.
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The defending champions were held to back-to-back draws with Orlando Pirates before their latest clash with Amakhosi, raising questions about their form. But Cardoso hit back at the narrative that his team should be steamrolling every opponent.
“We drew twice with Orlando Pirates and we drew with Kaizer Chiefs, that was the first position in the table,” Cardoso said in a heated post-match exchange.
“I don’t see us drawing games against teams from the third division or second division. What you expect in these kinds of games is always to arrive here and give them five? Respect the opponents, respect, because when you don’t you are making them much worse than they are.”
The Portuguese tactician reminded critics of the quality of Sundowns’ recent opposition, pointing to Pirates’ continental pedigree and Chiefs’ resurgence in front of their home fans.
“Last year, Orlando Pirates made the semi-final of the Champions League, I would like to remember. We played with them twice, we didn’t lose. Of course, we wanted to win and we were two times winning, even away. And I don’t see that we were worse than Orlando Pirates,” he continued.
“With all the respect, we were also not worse here, against a team that reinforced a lot, that keeps their work, that had 60,000 people in the stadium. We also had our moments to control the match.”
Cardoso’s strongest words came when he questioned the different standards applied to his team compared to others in the Betway Premiership.
“Please, why am I obliged to win every match and be charged by that, and the other people can draw? We are not charged the same way.”
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