Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns Media.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has conceded that his side were beaten 2-1 by rivals Orlando Pirates in their top-of-the-table Betway Premiership contest because of a poor start on Sunday.
Relebohile Mofokeng fired in a quick brace early on as Pirates claimed a vital win at FNB Stadium. Pirates got off to a sensational start, racing into a 2-0 lead within the first five minutes, courtesy of two clinical finishes from Mofokeng.
At the start of the second half, Sundowns made a change, bringing Arthur Sales on for Peter Shalulile and they were rewarded in the 66th minute when Khuliso Mudau latched onto a cross from Iqraam Rayners to beat stranded Pirates’ goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.
“When you start a game like this, you should not expect good things,” Cardoso said on SuperSport TV as quoted by idiskitimes. “I can only commend that we had a good reaction after the goal until 25th minutes, and then we played until half-time with the heart, but no brain. The brain stayed in the locker room, and football is mostly played with the brain.
“On the second half, we brought a little bit more brain on the pitch. Unfortunately, there was a period of 15 minutes after our game that the referee allowed not to play no one. Everybody falling on the ground. No football. It’s a shame, but it’s what we have, and that took out our energy.”
Cardoso concluded: “If it was a strategy, it was a good strategy, because it took our energy out. We were punished by the beginning. Nothing more to say.”
The outcome helped the Buccaneers to reduce the gap between them and the Brazilians to 15 points and they still have four games in hand. The victory further enabled Pirates to earn revenge having lost 4-1 to Sundowns in the first round meeting.
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