Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has voiced his frustration after his side’s 1-1 draw against Golden Arrows in Wednesday’s Betway Premiership clash, questioning the fairness of the match and suggesting that the South African champions are not always treated equitably.
Despite being held to a draw, Sundowns still hold a commanding 16-point lead at the top of the league standings. The match, played at Mpumalanga Stadium in Durban, saw Arrows open the scoring through Keenan Phillips in the 31st minute. Sundowns managed to equalize just before halftime, thanks to a penalty from Lucas Ribeiro.
This was the first time Sundowns had dropped points in the form of a draw this season, with their previous slip-ups coming in losses to Polokwane City and TS Galaxy.
Cardoso, visibly frustrated after the match, expressed that his team deserved all three points. “I should congratulate my players because they didn’t make a very good first half, but they had a fantastic second half,” Cardoso told the media. “I think today, it was more than fair that we take the three points. We scored enough goals to win the match; it was clear to everyone.”
One of the key moments came when a goal by Sundowns’ Peter Shalulile was ruled out for offside, much to Cardoso’s dismay. “We saw two teams working hard, but one team wasn’t on the level of the game,” he continued.
The level of a league like this should be the same for all teams. Unfortunately, there were things I don’t want to speak about… but I congratulate my players for their effort in the second half.”
Cardoso has frequently voiced his concerns about the congested fixture schedule as Sundowns chase an eighth consecutive league title. The Portuguese coach was quick to reiterate his desire for fairness in the game: “We just want to play games as fair as they should be according to the rules, and for everyone to follow the rules. That’s all we want. Let us play football.”
When asked if he was unhappy with the officiating during the encounter, Cardoso responded, “No, I’m just speaking.”
Despite the frustration of the draw, Sundowns maintain their dominant position in the league, sitting on 55 points from 21 matches. Their nearest challengers, Orlando Pirates, are 16 points behind in second place, although they have four games in hand.
As Sundowns prepare for their next challenge, Cardoso’s message remains clear: rise, improve, and continue the pursuit of excellence.
