Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns FC.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso was left a fuming man despite his side scoring late on to snatch a 1-0 win against Sekhukhune United and a semi-final spot in the Nedbank Cup at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday night.
The Brazilians needed a late extra time goal by substitute Jayden Adams to break down the resilient Sekhukhune side and in the process advance to set-up a mouthwatering semi-final contest with rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the last four.
In a fixture that had little chances, Sundowns found the back of the net in the 90 minute when Peter Shalulile scored, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The decision angered Cardoso, who insists the goal should have been allowed to stand.
“At the same time, I should say that, it’s the second time that we score legal goals that are not given,” Cardoso told SuperSport TV as quoted by idiskitimes. “We scored a goal in the 90th minute. It’s a clear clean goal and again we punished by the bad decision.”
The Portuguese tactician further took issues with the timing of the fixture insisting it should have not been played on the date because Sundowns were preparing for their crunch CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg fixture against Tunisian giants Esperance on Tuesday at Loftus.
“Firstly, we should understand what we are clearly doing here today. This match should not have been played today,” said a fuming Cardoso. “And it’s important that people that are responsible in South Africa for football understand the clubs defend the country.
And in the moment we’re playing football, there’s a team we gonna play Tuesday that is preparing themselves, resting, having the players in the proper condition to play the next the game that is the Champions League match.”
Cardoso concluded: “It’s important that the people that are in charge of football take responsibility. Because I think that Mamelodi Sundowns for many years is defending very well South African football abroad and in the country.”
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