Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso could not hide his disappointment after their exit in the Carling Knockout after losing 7-6 on penalties to Marumo Gallants at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, with pressure on him continuing to mount.
In the post-match press conference, which lasted for fewer than seven minutes, Cardoso appeared like a man starting to feel the pressure.
Saturday's exit in the Carling Knockout means Sundowns have now lost two domestic competitions after losing in the MTN8 semifinal to Orlando Pirates.
Masandawana produced a lacklustre performance against Gallants after failing to create realistic goal-scoring opportunities.
After the final whistle, fans were seen rejecting the players who were coming to sing with them, like they traditionally do after every game.
Asked if the loss is putting added pressure on him, Cardoso said he knows how to handle the situation.
“It's obvious the fans want to win; they want to celebrate, but there is one thing that is important that everyone understands: the players fought a lot today [Saturday]. We fought a lot; we were from the very first minute to the end. No one inside the pitch gave up,” Cardoso explained.
Our #CarlingKnockout comes to an end.
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) October 4, 2025
Mamelodi Sundowns 0️⃣ (6)➖(7) 0️⃣ Marumo Gallants #Sundowns #CarlingKnockout #AreyengMasandawana pic.twitter.com/OJKzEmbtQN
“The pressure... we deal with, we know how to. We know what we represent, what colours we represent.
“We are the first ones who want to win, [but] when you take the match to penalties, things are equal for both sides. It's normal; the fans work together with the team during the game.”
Sundowns finished the match with 10 men after new signing Miguel Reisinho received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Siyabonga Nhlapho.
Cardoso said their plans changed after that, but that the team continued to show commitment.
“The plan was well executed, and we were in total control of the game and we were more aggressive, but you must know that any plan you might have when you lose one player that goes away and you need to adjust and deal with what is happening at the moment, that's what we did,” he said.
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