Despite being disappointed by his team’s elimination from the Fifa Club World Cup in the US, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso sees many positive aspects of the competition.
Sundowns’ 0-0 draw with Fluminense FC of Brazil on Wednesday night in Miami resulted in their elimination from the competition’s group stage.
Cardoso’s team finished third in Group F with four points, while Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund were placed first and second, respectively.
In the first game of the competition, Sundowns defeated Ulsan HD of South Korea, giving themselves a significant lead.
However, they struggled against German powerhouses Dortmund, who rallied from a deficit to defeat the Premier Soccer League champions 4-3 last week. Sundowns failed to advance to the knockout stages despite a draw with the Brazilians.
Cardoso disappointed but proud
Cardoso was disappointed but also proud after the Fluminense draw. “The world had the chance to watch 22 players play at the highest level,” he said after the match.
“It was not easy, and you have to understand the level at which my players played. That is wonderful.”
“We started the game in a basic way; we created chances that we did not capitalise on. In the second half, we took control of the match and played the football that Sundowns is known for.”
He continued: “We tried to make changes in our structure, and we put in two strikers, but we did not risk enough to score.
“I encourage [people] to learn a little bit about Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, and even Ulsan to comprehend the calibre of play displayed by Sundowns at this Club World Cup.
“That’s why discussing it is easy. It makes us much better than we were when we got here.”
Cardoso is also proud of the kind of season Sundowns have enjoyed and says that the eight months he has spent at the club have been amazing.
Coming back home with pride
Regarding our season, the eight months I’ve been with the team have been fantastic. We broke a lot of records when we won SA titles.
“We broke all previous records and won the league title, perhaps with fewer goals conceded than anyone else. We didn’t break; that was the base of the objectives.
“We didn’t win the Champions League, but we were back for the first time in the final in 10 years. We will be strong going back there. Those matches in the final, we were not at the level we needed to be.”
The Portuguese went on to say that they will return home with pride. “We will go back to our country with our heads high because we are stronger than when we arrived at the tournament.
“We leave this tournament with four points; in the previous Club World Cup, we had two defeats, but now we have one win, one draw, and one defeat. Can we do more?
“It is always possible to do more, and we are proud of the players, the staff, and everyone. In 10 years we will understand what we did today because recognition has been achieved.”
