Cardoso: Sundowns Eased Pressure Against Remo Stars After Early Dominance
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has revealed that his team deliberately slowed the tempo after establishing early control in their CAF Champions League clash against Remo Stars, admitting that he initially wanted his side to score even more goals, writes Nigeriasoccernet.com.
The South African champions cruised to a 2–0 win over the Nigerian Premier League holders, completing a commanding 7–1 aggregate victory to advance to the group stage of the competition.
Speaking after the game, Cardoso told The South African that his players took the fixture seriously despite holding a massive first-leg advantage.
“We took this challenge very seriously and focused on getting the win against Remo Stars,” Cardoso said. “You just have to look at the line-up we picked.”
He, however, noted that the team’s intensity dropped slightly as the match progressed, especially given the hot conditions in Nigeria.
“When the aggregate is 7–1, it’s normal that the intensity drops a bit, especially in that heat. Of course, I wanted us to score even more. We needed more numbers in the box, particularly in the last 20 minutes,” he added.
The Portuguese tactician further explained that some players intentionally managed their energy levels towards the end to avoid fatigue and potential injuries, emphasizing the need to stay fit for the challenges ahead.
Sundowns’ victory continues their dominant run in continental football, with Cardoso now turning his attention to preparing the team for the CAF Champions League group stage, where the Pretoria-based giants will look to make another strong push for the title.
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