Cardoso explains decision to play Mothiba
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has explained why he chose to start Lebo Mothiba upfront in their MTN8 match against Golden Arrows.
Mothiba started in the match where Sundowns were defeated 1-0 by Arrows in the first leg of the semi-final at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday. Sundowns conceded a first-half goal scored by Sede Junior Dion.
Mothiba had a great opportunity to give Sundowns an early goal, but failed to capitalize on it when facing the goalkeeper one-on-one. Cardoso substituted him at half-time, bringing on Brayan Leon.
Mothiba has yet to make a noticeable impact at Sundowns since joining the team in March 2025. Explaining his decision, Cardoso said he wanted to show trust in Mothiba. “As a coach, I try to do everything in my power for the players. The technical team works hard to show faith in the players,” he said.
Miguel Cardoso said he tried to support Lebo Mothiba when he got that goal-scoring opportunity. “You saw how I supported him when he got the goal-scoring opportunity, but it wasn’t just him. Many players got chances in this match,” the coach added.
Cardoso also recalled the period when Lucas Ribeiro was going through a goal drought. “I remember last year or two years ago when Lucas Ribeiro was going through a goal drought. You media members kept asking why he wasn’t scoring goals. I kept saying that one day the goals would come, and eventually they did,” he explained.
He noted that Mothiba has never been a regular starter. “However, Lebo has never been the first choice in the attacking position. Brayan and Rayners have been the primary options. Miguel Cardoso added that Lebo Mothiba’s lack of regular playing time makes it difficult for him to find his rhythm.“
“It’s normal that when a player doesn’t play regularly, it becomes hard to catch rhythm quickly.Lebo showed good character. He had good sessions when we were training and scored goals. So he gave us all his effort.”
