Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has vowed that his team will be playing with full commitment when hosting Limpopo ABC Motsepe League champions Mpheni Home Defenders in a Nedbank Cup last-16 match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
The Limpopo outfit are the only amateur side left in the competition.
But Cardoso has promised to show them respect, even though they compete in a third-tier competition.
“We have big respect for every opponent, and must fight to get a result. We need to perform at the highest level to get a result,” Cardoso told the media at Thursday’s press conference in Sandton.
“If you fail to pay attention to what your opponent does in 90 minutes, then you can suffer or leave with a moment you do not want. We must play every game with a serious approach and big commitment.”
Cardoso said Home Defenders will arrive on Sunday with a dream, and it will be Sundowns’ task to ensure the dream does not become a reality.
Cardoso’s thoughts coincide with what Home Defenders coach Vhutshilo Phuravhathu said at a recent Nedbank Cup presser. Phuravhathu said it would be a memorable occasion to play against one of the PSL’s ‘Big Three’ before the last-16 draw was completed.
Their wish has since come true, and Phuravhathu said his players were now dreaming of transitioning to living it out on the field with a victory.
Lucas Suarez spoke to the camera crew after the team's result in Mpumalanga to give us his reaction! 🗣#Sundowns #BetwayPrem #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/flamULpnw7
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) February 12, 2025
“We must focus on what we have to do in the match. We must face it most seriously and worry about what we do in every moment on the pitch,” said Cardoso.
“If we achieve that then mostly, we’ll control the match. We’ll emerge with a result that you should achieve of course.”
Sundowns go into the match on the back of a shock 1-0 defeat against TS Galaxy in a midweek Premiership match. It was their second league defeat this season, and the surprise outcome will have a bearing on Cardoso’s team selection for Sunday’s game.
It was likely the squad’s peripheral players would have formed the team’s backbone, but Cardoso will likely call on his first choices to restore confidence in the ranks.
It appears Cardoso is going to play it safe.
“These kinds of competitions – which depend on the outcome of one result before you make headway through the rounds – are always tricky. If the ones (the teams) who think they are stronger don’t respect that fact they don’t always show that they are stronger,” said Cardoso.
“That is what we’re going to focus on by having the right attitude to face a game that is an important one for us. We need to control the opposition, and by achieving that, we can go through to the next round in the competition.”
Cardoso has already shown the opposition great respect by requesting that the game be moved from Loftus Versfeld to the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville because the playing surface was not suitable for his team.
Phuravhathu believes the Brazilians’ hectic schedule makes them vulnerable, and his players will be running out with a ruthless mindset on Sunday.
“I’m a coach that believes any team is beatable on any day, and even Mamelodi Sundowns can be beaten on any day. Some teams show Sundowns too much respect, and that’s the reason they are not able to compete with them,” he said.
“If you go there and compete on Sunday, the chances of coming out with a good result is higher than not coming out to compete.”