Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has explained that he had to block emotions from his players at halftime during their 2-1 win over Magesi in the Betway Premiership match at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday as they were still emotional after the Limpopo side beat them in the Carling Knockout final last year.
Magesi scored early through Wonderboy Makhubu before Ribeiro Costa levelled matters in the second and Tashreeq Morris netted the winner late in the match.
The victory saw Sundowns extend their lead at the top of the table to 33 points and lead second-place Orlando Pirates by six, while Magesi remained at the bottom.
Cardoso said there were emotions at halftime and that he had to block them, which saw his players come with a different energy in the second half.
“There were emotions that came from what happened in our cup game against Magesi, they were there and I had to block that at half time it was important,” Cardoso explained to the media after the match.
“And I think that allowed us to come back with new energy and tactically we changed the game. It was important to change. I'm thrilled because I think the players deserve to win today [Wednesday] and it is important to focus on the game on the weekend.”
Emotions were high at halftime, I had to block that – Cardoso after Downs' win over Magesi
Image: Philip Maeta
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has explained that he had to block emotions from his players at halftime during their 2-1 win over Magesi in the Betway Premiership match at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday as they were still emotional after the Limpopo side beat them in the Carling Knockout final last year.
Magesi scored early through Wonderboy Makhubu before Ribeiro Costa levelled matters in the second and Tashreeq Morris netted the winner late in the match.
The victory saw Sundowns extend their lead at the top of the table to 33 points and lead second-place Orlando Pirates by six, while Magesi remained at the bottom.
Cardoso said there were emotions at halftime and that he had to block them, which saw his players come with a different energy in the second half.
“There were emotions that came from what happened in our cup game against Magesi, they were there and I had to block that at half time it was important,” Cardoso explained to the media after the match.
“And I think that allowed us to come back with new energy and tactically we changed the game. It was important to change. I'm thrilled because I think the players deserve to win today [Wednesday] and it is important to focus on the game on the weekend.”
Cardoso also said it was a tough game for them that's why he was overcome with emotions, especially after winning late in the second half.
“Yeah, [it was an] emotional game and naturally, emotions for myself came out at that moment. We expected to make a strong first half. We discussed a lot of emotions and what could come out from this game and that we should enter strongly to make ourselves the first goal,” he said.
“But it happened we lost, we lost concentration in the action that gave the goal to Magesi. And then, I think in the heads of the players, they came back to something that was in the past that we should not attach ourselves to the past. We should look forward to it.
“So, the first half was difficult. The players struggled to put themselves inside the game in the best way. But also, we knew that if you could keep the intensity, we had players to put inside that could give energy and other things that could challenge the other team.”
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