MAMELODI Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso only focused on scoring at least a goal extra than the opponent at hand.
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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is not worried about the lack of free-flowing goals from his team, as he is more focused on scoring one more than the opponent.
Sundowns won 1-0 against Polokwane City on Wednesday night, reclaiming top spot in the Betway Premiership during the run-in.
However, the victory could have been more comfortable had Lebo Mothiba’s attempted panenka not been saved by goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula late in the game.
Having made an impact off the bench, playing a key role in Marcello Allende’s eventual winner despite his miss, Cardoso defended Mothiba in his post-match media briefing.
“Look, I was looking at the back for balance and a little bit also in the sky. I confess, I didn't really understand what happened,” Cardoso said. “I think the goalkeeper was on the other side, so he tried to play on that side.
“Look, Lebo is a very good penalty taker, very good. If he didn't score today, it was not because he didn't want to, just because he couldn't. So it is what it is.”
Sundowns’ slender win meant that they had failed to score more than two goals in six matches, having won four by 1-0, drawn 1-1 and 0-0 across all competitions.
Given that they had won 10 league games in a row before drawing 1-1 with Stellenbosch and 0-0 with Richards Bay ahead of the victory against Polokwane, Cardoso reminded observers about a recent record they broke and why results matter most.
“I don’t want to speak about the goals that are not scored. What is important for us is that we scored one more than our opponent,” Cardoso said. “We have been doing that consistently.
“Yes, we had two draws, but we won 11 matches in a row. Let’s not forget – we broke a league record. We need to be strong and committed in every match, focusing on the result, which is to get one more goal than the opponent.”
Sundowns will be eager to continue their winning momentum when they face Polokwane City in a back-to-back league clash at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday (3pm kick-off) to strengthen their position at the top of the standings – as points matter more than the eight-goal advantage second-placed Orlando Pirates hold in the title race.