CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Mihlali Baleka|Published
Miguel Cardoso has painted a positive picture regarding the comeback of Mamelodi Sundowns following their shock exit from the CAF Champions League on Friday night.
Sundowns failed to defend their title even before they could put up a strong fight, as they were disappointingly eliminated in the group stage qualifiers by Wiliete, who defeated them on the away-goals rule following a 1–1 draw in Pretoria.
The result stung Sundowns, with Cardoso conceding that the team failed in their biggest game of the season, despite winning the MTN8 and Fifa African-Asian-Pacific Cup earlier in the campaign.
However, the Portuguese-born coach remains optimistic that after a dark period, the rainbow will appear and Sundowns will bounce back stronger and better.
“Great empires always come from ashes,” Cardoso said. “It was like that after the First World War. After the Second World War, it was the same. Many come from that.
“Today (Friday) was a dark night, but it’s the dark that has to give us the purpose and energy to build more. Maybe it’s an important lesson to look ahead. Like I usually say, we are not defined by what happens to us. We are defined much more by how we react to what happens to us.”
Sundowns will get a chance to react when they face Marumo Gallants in the Carling Knockout last-16 clash at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday night. A win in that match will not only see them progress to the next round, but also build momentum for the remaining competitions, including the semi-final of the Fifa Intercontinental Cup and the Betway Premiership, which are must-win targets.
“There are a lot of trophies still to challenge for,” Cardoso said. “We obviously cannot forget what it means to be eliminated from the Champions League. It’s hard for the club and the coaches – and you can imagine for myself, it’s harder after being in the final for three years in a row. It’s hard for a club that was supposed to be in the group stage for the 12th time in a row.”
Cardoso will be greatly disappointed by Friday night’s outcome. But having reached the last two continental finals – one with Esperance and one with Sundowns – perhaps this breakdown offers a silver lining to reset and gain a fresh perspective for continental football and beyond.