Cardoso claims robbery after Mamelodi Sundowns' draw with Golden Arrows

TRYING his best to not direct his statement to the referees after his team drew 1-1 against Lamontville Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership encounter at Mpumalanga Stadium in Hammarsdale on Wednesday night, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso made it clear that he felt they were robbed. 

Goals by Keenan Phillips, a header at the end of the Sbonelo Cele freekick delivery, and a penalty by Lucas Ribeiro, saw the sides not only go to half time level but also share the spoils in front of an energetic crowd.

That result put a full stop in Sundown’s 11 games winning streak in all competitions.

Arrows themselves had received a 4-0 thrashing somewhere within those 11 games but Wednesday night was a different one with former Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi leading their dugout.

With regards to robbery, Cardoso would have been referring to the three goals which his side scored and at least two of which could have stood on another day.

“I should congratulate my players for making a very good second half. But they did not do well in the first half. I think it would have been more than fair that today (Wednesday) we got all three points,” cried Cardoso in post match interviews.

“We scored more than enough goals to win the match as it was clear for everyone for sure. We saw two teams working hard. We saw one team that was not on the level of the game.”

Indeed as Cardoso says, Sundowns did score three more goals (one by Peter Shalulile in each half and another Ribeiro later in the second half).

Shalulile’s first half goal was not given with referee Tshidiso Mkwanazi judging a foul in the build up.

Early in the second half Shalulile was again misjudged to be offside having beaten Arrows defence and goalkeeper Isima Watenga not playing to the whistle to concede a goal.

The third disallowed goal was though right not to be given with Thapelo Morena clearly fouling an Arrows player in his goal assist.

“It is important to understand that the level of the league like this, should also be on the level when it comes to other things. Unfortunately today (Wednesday night), we saw things that I don’t even want to talk about,” said Cardoso, who was recently awarded as the PSL Coach of the Month.

“It is the second game, (in fact) there are two games in which…(He decides not to continue). Congratulations to my players in terms of fighting in the second half to get all three points. Unfortunately we did not get it. We look forward to doing our best in the next matches.

“We just want to play the games as fair as they should be, according to the rules of the game. Everybody should follow the rules of the game. It’s just what we want. Let us play football!”

Probed if he was directing his statement to the refereeing calls as he had been some two weeks ago, Cardoso responded: “No, no, I’m just speaking. I’m just speaking.”

Two weeks ago Cardoso was specific in saying that referees are so quick to issue cards to his players.

Although he did not want to mention refereeing, in the earlier post match interview on SuperSport TV, the Portuguese mentor made it clear that he was unhappy with “some decisions that did not go our way” as they “scored four goals to win the match”.