Latest news with #MiguelCardoso
IOL News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Mamelodi Sundowns' Miguel Cardoso expresses pride despite CAF Champions League final loss
DISAPPOINTMENT Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso reflected with pride on the team's journey in CAF Champions League despite their loss to Pyramids FC in the final, highlighting their victories over top-ranked Al Ahly and Esperance. Seen here: Sundowns' Lucas Ribeiro. Picture: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix Despite defeat in the CAF Champions League final to Pyramids FC in Cairo on Sunday evening, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso was still immensely proud of his charges. Sundowns lost 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate over the two legs, after the 1-1 draw in Pretoria a week prior. After the first leg, it was always going to be a difficult proposition to beat the Egyptian outfit on their home turf. That task became even more daunting when Fiston Mayele opened the scoring for the hosts inside the first 25 minutes, and then Ahmed Samy doubled the scoreline for Pyramids just ahead of the hour mark. Iqraam Rayners pulled a goal back in the 75th minute, but Sundowns fell one strike short of what would have won them the title through the away goal rule. After the match, Cardoso was quick to point out the number of high-profile teams his side had dispatched during the premier African competition.
TimesLIVE
14 hours ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Sundowns unable to scale Pyramids, as Egyptian club crowned kings of Africa
Mamelodi Sundowns were a goal from the glory of being crowned African champions again, but Pyramids FC hung on through a gut-clenching final 15 minutes of the final on Sunday night to lift the trophy as winners of the 2024-25 Caf Champions League trophy. The Egyptian outfit clinched their first Champions League title winning the second leg at Cairo's June 30 Air Defence Stadium 2-1 after earning a last-gasp 1-1 draw at Loftus Versfeld last week. Coach Miguel Cardoso's brave Sundowns, playing their first final since winning their first Champions League in 2016, were left to rue the fractional moments that decide matches at this level. Downs have to rue how agonisingly close they came. In Pretoria two Saturday's ago Walid El Karti's equaliser came seconds from the end. In Cairo, Downs had chances — particularly two saves from the legs of Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy — that could have won it. It was not to be. The chances that did find the back of the net settled 180 minutes and some added time of a spectacularly closely-contested final where the 3-2 aggregate scoreline to Pyramids said a lot of how tight the proceedings were. Fiston Mayele — Pyramids' excellent Democratic Republic of Congo striker, who looks set to be among the favourites for the Confederation of African Football's local-based player of the year award this year — has played a major part in them being such a force in the Champions League. Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić has had his side superbly drilled and Mayele as a huge presence as the spearhead. They had been particularly strong at home, scoring 32 goals and conceding six in seven matches at June 30 Stadium, so Downs were up against it. Mayele opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, profiting from Grant Kekana's defensive error. 🏆 ℂ𝔸𝔽 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 🏆 ⚽️ ⒼⓄⒶⓁ: The hosts have doubled their lead! 𝐏𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬 2⃣➖0⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 (𝗔𝗚𝗚: 3⃣➖1⃣) 📺 SABC Sport | SABC 3 🌐 📱 SABC+ #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesCAFCL — SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 1, 2025 From there, it was Sundowns' task to aim for an unanswered goal to take the tie to extra time and penalties, or two to win. They had an outstanding chance for that spurned by Tashreeq Matthews seconds before the break. Ahmed Samy made it 3-1 heading in a free-kick in the 56th, and Downs needed two unanswered goals to win. Iqraam Rayners pulled one back in the 75th. Downs could not find another, despite substitute Peter Shalulile coming excruciatingly close. In the opening half, Sundowns paid for being that minute margin loose that can be so costly at the rarefied level of a continental final and went behind from a defensive error. Had the bounce of the ball gone their way, the Brazilians could also have gone to the break level. A cleverly-worked free-kick from the middle by Downs saw Aubrey Modiba chip the ball short into the path of Rayners, who took the ball over his shoulder and volleyed high. At the other end a half-clearance fell to Ahmed Atef on the edge of the box to strike well, but too close to Williams, who took easily. 🏆 ℂ𝔸𝔽 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖 𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 🏆 ⚽️ ⒼⓄⒶⓁ: Masandawana have reduced the margin! 𝐏𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬 2⃣➖1⃣ 𝐌𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐢 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 (𝗔𝗚𝗚: 3⃣➖2⃣) 🚨 LIVE 🥇 2nd Leg 📺 SABC Sport | SABC 3 📱 SABC+ #SABCSportFootball #TotalEnergiesCAFCL — SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) June 1, 2025 Pyramids were flexing their muscle and Downs a margin stretched when the Pretoria team conceded. A ball upfield found Mayele on the right, who fed Atef to make ground and cross. Kekana's volley was mis-hit and straight into the path of the grateful Congolese, who needs no second invitation in such situations and picked his spot past Ronwen Williams. Six minutes into added time Lucas Ribeiro took a chip on his chest, turned and expertly fed the sharp run through of Matthews to be one-on-one with El Shenawy, somehow finding the keeper's legs. Sundowns pushed for an equaliser back from the change rooms. They had a decent video assistant referee check — looking to overturn Somalian referee Omar Artan's rejection of a penalty appeal for a push on Iqraam Rayners — overturned in the 51st. When those two good opportunities on either side of the break did not materialise in a goal, the situation seemed ripe for Pyramids to get a second. They did when, after Divine Lunga conceded a free-kick on Downs' left side, right-back Mohamed Chibi's delivery found centreback Samy free of marker Jayden Adams in the box to head past Williams at close range. As Downs sought two goals, Teboho Mokoena's free-kick tested El Shenawy. The Brazilians got one goal when Samy's headed clearance could only go as far as Rayners on the left of the box to volley past El Shenawy. With Sundowns piling on the pressure Ribeiro fed Shaluile who forced a superb stop off the legs of El Shenawy from point blank. Two minutes into a frenetic 10 minutes of added time, Mayele spooned over from in front of the goalmouth. The Egyptian club regained their composure to shut out the last eight minutes.
CAF
a day ago
- Sport
- CAF
Sundowns coach Cardoso seeks to join Africa's elite coaches
Published: Sunday, 01 June 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has shot at African glory as he leads his team into the second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final against Egypt's Pyramids FC on Sunday evening in Cairo. The Portuguese tactician, who guided Sundowns to an impressive showing this season, is hoping to go one step further this time and etch his name alongside the continent's greatest managers. His side played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Pretoria, with Lucas Ribeiro's opener canceled out by a late Walid El Karti header for Pyramids. Cardoso will now need to mastermind a win or a high-scoring draw at the Air Defense Stadium to deliver Sundowns' second CAF Champions League title and his first as head coach. If successful, he will become the second Portuguese coach to lift the prestigious African trophy after legendary Manuel Jose, who won four titles with Al Ahly between 2001 and 2008. Cardoso's achievement would further underscore the growing global influence of Portuguese managers, now sought after from various clubs across Africa. Despite the pedigree of his Croatian counterpart Krunoslav Jurčić, who is seeking to make Pyramids the fourth Egyptian club to win the Champions League, the spotlight remains firmly on Cardoso. His team knocked out defending champions Al Ahly in the semi-finals, denying Swiss coach Marcel Koller a shot at a third successive crown. This final is also a personal redemption story for Cardoso. Now, just 90 minutes from the title, he stands on the verge of rewriting Sundowns' continental story while strengthening the legacy of Portuguese coaches in Africa. Sundowns' previous Champions League triumph came under Pitso Mosimane in 2016. A second title under Cardoso would confirm the club's rise as a consistent continental powerhouse and place the Portuguese coach in esteemed company on CAF's coaching wall of fame.
The Star
a day ago
- Sport
- The Star
History favours Mamelodi Sundowns in CAF Champions League showdown against Pyramids FC
THERE are three reasons for Mamelodi Sundowns to be optimistic ahead of their Caf Champions League final second leg against Pyramids FC in Cairo on Sunday night. ONE - That's the number of times clubs who were held 1-1 in the first leg they hosted have gone on to win the continent's premier club competition. The South African champions were shell-shocked by a last-gasp equalizer from Walid El Khatari at Loftus Versfeld last weekend when they seemed to have given themselves an advantage towards adding a second star above their club's crest. While Pyramids celebrated that result as though they'd already been crowned champions, the reality is that the match is evenly-poised and Miguel Cardoso and his team have just as good a chance of winning as their hosts. And there is precedent to leave the Brazilians confident - they will return victorious and win their second continental title since they beat Zamalek in the self-same Cairo back in 2016. Since the inception of the competition way back in 1964, there have been six finals that produced a 1-1 draw in the first leg. And half of those have seen the away team victorious while the other went in the home team's favour. Asante Kotoko and Al Ahly (twice) have been crowned continental champions after being held 1-1 in their own backyard and it is those results that coach Miguel Cardoso and his men must draw inspiration from. Back in January of 1971, Kotoko saw their first half lead being cancelled out by the visitors shortly after the break at the Kumasi Stadium and their continental dreams were for all intents and purposes dead and buried. But they went to Kinshasa and managed a 2-1 victory – the winner coming ten minutes before the end - for the first of their two continental titles. Ahly were held 1-1 by Sfaxien in 2006 but their talismanic striker Mohamed Aboutreika who had scored in the opener in the first leg delivered the killer blow in injury time to hand The Red Devils the title in Tunis. Six years later Ahly were at it again in Tunis that time beating Esperance 2-1 after the Blood and Gold had held them 1-1 in Cairo. And they will be particularly chuffed that their opponents were losers in Cairo back in the 2001 final, Ahly beating the Brazilians 3-0 following a 1-1 draw at Loftus. There was also another South African defeat in the Egyptian capital in 2013, Pirates being beaten 2-0 by the Red Devils whom they'd held 1-1. Another home victory following a 1-1 draw was achieved by Wydad Casablanca against Ahly in 2017. Two - That history aside, Sundowns have also previously beaten Pyramids in their own backyard and that should see them trotting on to the pitch of the June 30 Stadium confident they will have their hands on the new trophy. The two clubs met in the group phase of last year's competition at the same venue and Sundowns won courtesy of a Teboho Mooena goal. The talismanic midfielder will once again be a key player as Sundowns seek to conquer the continent yet again with his thunderbolt shots from range and powerful free kicks can be crucial to help the South African team pierce Pyramids open. Striker Lucas Ribeiro scored in the first leg and will be brimming with confidence having won not only the South African golden boot but the Footballer of the Month award for May. Coach Cardoso was also adjudged the best for the month, factors that should work in Sundowns' favour. Three - Ordinarily, having conceded at home is a disadvantage, but Sundowns have managed to score away to Esperance and Al AHly and should be able to do the same at Pyramids.
IOL News
a day ago
- Sport
- IOL News
History favours Mamelodi Sundowns in CAF Champions League showdown against Pyramids FC
THERE are three reasons for Mamelodi Sundowns to be optimistic ahead of their Caf Champions League final second leg against Pyramids FC in Cairo on Sunday night. ONE - That's the number of times clubs who were held 1-1 in the first leg they hosted have gone on to win the continent's premier club competition. The South African champions were shell-shocked by a last-gasp equalizer from Walid El Khatari at Loftus Versfeld last weekend when they seemed to have given themselves an advantage towards adding a second star above their club's crest. While Pyramids celebrated that result as though they'd already been crowned champions, the reality is that the match is evenly-poised and Miguel Cardoso and his team have just as good a chance of winning as their hosts. And there is precedent to leave the Brazilians confident - they will return victorious and win their second continental title since they beat Zamalek in the self-same Cairo back in 2016. Since the inception of the competition way back in 1964, there have been six finals that produced a 1-1 draw in the first leg. And half of those have seen the away team victorious while the other went in the home team's favour. Asante Kotoko and Al Ahly (twice) have been crowned continental champions after being held 1-1 in their own backyard and it is those results that coach Miguel Cardoso and his men must draw inspiration from. Back in January of 1971, Kotoko saw their first half lead being cancelled out by the visitors shortly after the break at the Kumasi Stadium and their continental dreams were for all intents and purposes dead and buried. But they went to Kinshasa and managed a 2-1 victory – the winner coming ten minutes before the end - for the first of their two continental titles. Ahly were held 1-1 by Sfaxien in 2006 but their talismanic striker Mohamed Aboutreika who had scored in the opener in the first leg delivered the killer blow in injury time to hand The Red Devils the title in Tunis. Six years later Ahly were at it again in Tunis that time beating Esperance 2-1 after the Blood and Gold had held them 1-1 in Cairo. And they will be particularly chuffed that their opponents were losers in Cairo back in the 2001 final, Ahly beating the Brazilians 3-0 following a 1-1 draw at Loftus. There was also another South African defeat in the Egyptian capital in 2013, Pirates being beaten 2-0 by the Red Devils whom they'd held 1-1. Another home victory following a 1-1 draw was achieved by Wydad Casablanca against Ahly in 2017. Two - That history aside, Sundowns have also previously beaten Pyramids in their own backyard and that should see them trotting on to the pitch of the June 30 Stadium confident they will have their hands on the new trophy. The two clubs met in the group phase of last year's competition at the same venue and Sundowns won courtesy of a Teboho Mooena goal. The talismanic midfielder will once again be a key player as Sundowns seek to conquer the continent yet again with his thunderbolt shots from range and powerful free kicks can be crucial to help the South African team pierce Pyramids open. Striker Lucas Ribeiro scored in the first leg and will be brimming with confidence having won not only the South African golden boot but the Footballer of the Month award for May. Coach Cardoso was also adjudged the best for the month, factors that should work in Sundowns' favour. Three - Ordinarily, having conceded at home is a disadvantage, but Sundowns have managed to score away to Esperance and Al AHly and should be able to do the same at Pyramids.
