POLL | Should coach Cardoso be fired after Sundowns' loss in the Champions League final?
It might seem crazy to ask whether a coach who has just steered his team to the final of the Caf Champions League, but lost, should keep his job. However, there are heated discussions on social media as fans debate the point.
Portuguese Miguel Cardoso, who arrived at Sundowns in December to replace Manqoba Mngqithi — with the Brazilians’ battles in the group stage a major reason for the change — took Downs to the final, as he had with Esperance de Tunis in his previous campaign.
As with Esperance, who lost 1-0 on aggregate to Al Ahly, Cardoso could not steer Sundowns to the trophy, which would have been their first Champions League title since winning Africa’s premier interclub competition in 2016. It was their first final in the competition since then.
Many will argue Downs were unfortunate in their 3-2 aggregate final defeat against Egypt’s Pyramids FC.
In the first leg at Loftus Versfeld two Saturdays ago, Walid El Karti’s equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw came deep in added time, in the final seconds.
In the second leg two superb saves off his legs by Pyramids goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy denied Tashreeq Matthews and Peter Shalulile almost certain goals.
However, Cardoso’s decisions across the two legs are also being discussed on social media.
The biggest talking point is that veteran Themba Zwane — Sundowns and Bafana Bafana’s best creative player of the past 10 years, who made a return from injury in the weeks leading up to the final — did not come off the bench in both legs.
Cardoso employed Jayden Adams in the midfield playmaker role and while the 24-year-old has been on form since transferring from Stellenbosch FC in January, he has nowhere near Zwane’s experience or big match temperament.
Big striker Lebo Mothiba came off the bench late in the second leg in his first appearance after a long injury layoff, in such a crucial situation.
Left-back Aubrey Modiba battled over both legs and could have been given better cover or replaced from the start of the second leg by Divine Lunga.
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Cardoso might have made more changes to refresh a team that looked mildly jaded in Pretoria, and for the surprise factor.
The coach’s substitutions in both legs have been questioned.
After a defeat fans often point fingers at the coach.
Cardoso did a remarkable job arriving without a preseason and achieving what so many of his predecessors could not guiding Downs to their second Champions League final, negotiating past Esperance and Al Ahly in the quarter and semifinals.
In the final minutes of the final, after going 2-0 down in the second leg, then Iqraam Rayners pulling a goal back for the Pretoria team in the 75th, Downs were a goal from lifting the trophy in Cairo — a 2-2 draw there would have seen the prevail on away goals.
Many, though, are hugely disappointed at his decision-making in the final.