‘It was one more difficult game despite how it looked,’ Cardoso said at the post match press conference.
Miguel Cardoso praised the attitude of his Sundowns players after they comfortably dismantled Richards Bay 3-0 in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday evening.
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The Brazilians had a long trip back from Cairo last weekend, after their 1-1 draw against Al Ahly on Friday was enough for them to make it to the CAF Champions League final.
Sundowns take control
There must have been some tired legs in the Sundowns side, but they took control of the game early with two goals in the first half hour at Loftus from Arthur Sales and Iqraam Rayners. Another strike from Marcelo Allende three minutes after the break effectively ended the contest.
“It was one more difficult game despite how it looked,” Cardoso said at the post match press conference.
“We made it more easy than it would have been if we had not had the right attitude. What marked the game is the way we started with a strong intention to score. That is basically what we asked the boys for. We provoked them to ask if they were ready for the challenge of putting in a very strong first half.
“We need to get an emotional advantage by scoring and making the result positive so we didn’t need to leave it to the last part of the match.”
Sundowns’ win has moved them 12 points clear of Orlando Pirates, after the Buccaneers suffered a surprise defeat to Sekhukhune United on Wednesday.
‘Bravo’ but ‘It depends on ourselves’
Cardoso only found out about the Pirates loss in the post match press conference and first said “Bravo!,” before sounding a note of caution.
“It depends on ourselves,” he said.
“There are still five games left to play (in the league) and things are not done.”
Pirates, indeed, still have seven league games left to play in the season.
“Our opponent will not give up and we need points and more points. If we enlarged our advantage it is more comfortable but it takes nothing away from what we have to do.”
ALSO READ: Another title in sight as Sundowns ease past Richards Bay
Sundowns’ next game comes as early as Saturday, when Cardoso’s side travel to the Mother City to take on relegation-threatened Cape Town City.
