Miguel Cardoso eyes domestic cup titles despite Arrows MTN8 setback

23.08.26 FT MTN 8 Cup South Africa

Mamelodi Sundowns FC

0

:

Lamontville Golden Arrows

1

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says he wants to add domestic cup titles on his resume at Sundowns, having failed to guide the club to success on that front thus far.

The Brazilians are currently on the backfoot ahead of the return leg of their MTN8 semi-final clash against Golden Arrows, as Sede Junior Dion scored the solitary goal in the first leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium over the weekend.

Notably, the Tshwane giants are currently enduring a drought for a domestic cup title, with their last triumph dating back to the 2021/22 campaign under the co-coaching of Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena.

While he has won the Betway Premiership and the coveted CAF Champions League since taking over the hotseat at Chloorkop in December 2024, Cardoso admits there's a void only domestic cup titles can fill in his CV.

“Regarding cup finals, obviously it's something that I told the boys today [Sunday] that there's something missing in us, it's really not finals but victories on domestic cups,” said the Downs mentor.

"I heard the other day someone said we have nothing won inside, but we won one championship in that season we were not able to win any cup, and last year we also didn't win any cup in South Africa.

"So, obviously in the first season we just played one of them because when we arrived the other two had already been played by the club. It's a minus, obviously, I want to put cups on my CV in South Africa and we still can.

With the African champions required to dig deep to overturn the deficit in KwaZulu-Natal, the Portuguese tactician has urged his troops to perceive the encounter as a continental clash.

“But to make this one we need to live the spirit of a Champions League. Today and yesterday night I told my boys that this match should be played like a Champions League qualifying round where you have two matches,” Cardoso added.

"I even asked Denis [Onyango] to tell the boys what we need to do so that we play this match as a Champions League and we didn't do it. But there's still 90 minutes.

"I just hope that spirit is lived by the team in the right way when we go and pick the flight to go to Golden Arrows and we can do the second leg in the level that we need to have. It will be tough, but it's possible that it will be done.

Sundowns will host AmaZulu FC in a Betway Premiership clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, 26 August, before the return leg of the cup semis against Arrows.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

Related teams and leagues

Mamelodi Sundowns FC

Lamontville Golden Arrows

MTN 8 Cup South Africa