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Mamelodi Sundowns’ manager Miguel Cardoso has explained the rationale for sidelining key striker Iqraam Rayners during the match against Richards Bay, highlighting the significance of squad management in a busy fixture schedule.
Rayners remained on the bench while Sundowns achieved a 2-0 victory at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday, with Cardoso making several changes to the starting lineup. With Rayners given a breather, Cardoso opted for Arthur Sales, who repaid the coach’s faith by scoring a goal, assisted by Lucas Ribeiro Costa in the first half.
The match highlighted the Brazilian talents as Costa secured the second goal in the second half, enabling Sundowns to stay at the pinnacle of the Betway Premiership table with 30 points from 11 matches. However, the African Giants have played two more matches than second-placed Orlando Pirates, who are scheduled to compete against Magesi FC at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
“We must adjust to the situations we encounter,” Cardoso remarked. “As they say in England, a coach is a manager. This means overseeing the entire team—not just their emotions and mental well-being but also their physical fitness. I am lucky to have a skilled support team offering crucial insights to evaluate the players’ conditions.”
Cardoso reiterated, “We have to maneuver through the circumstances. The coach, as they say in England, is a manager.”
“This signifies that we manage the team’s dynamics—not only their feelings and psychological states but also their physical conditions. I have an exceptional crew surrounding me that assists in evaluating the players’ current statuses.”
“We anticipated that it would be Grant Kekana’s first match, and he wouldn’t last very long. We also identified that Terrence Mashego might struggle toward the end.”
“The substitutions I planned did not permit me to keep Terrence on the pitch because, naturally, both Terrence and Grant were candidates for substitution, and that was part of our strategy.”
“Nevertheless, winning matches is crucial, and sometimes risks must be taken. In Terrence’s case, we had to take that leap. Yet, I believe we received favorable responses from the players who participated.”
“Above all, we witnessed tremendous commitment.”
Although he was rested, Rayners made his mark by entering the field in the 60th minute, with Costa scoring the second goal for Sundowns just six minutes later, effectively sealing the victory against Bay. Rayners has displayed impressive form for Sundowns, scoring in the last six matches, three of which were under Cardoso’s management. Thus, his absence from the starting eleven was quite surprising.
Cardoso also expressed his concerns regarding the dry pitch at King Zwelithini Stadium, claiming it affected the match’s flow. He urged the PSL to implement a policy for watering the pitch before matches and during halftime.
He is not the first coach to criticize South Africa’s dry pitches. Former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane similarly advocated for pre-match watering to improve the pace of play.
“I believe it is vital for the PSL to decide to water the pitch both before and following the warm-ups, as well as at halftime, to elevate the quality of football,” he stated.
“Some might argue, ‘But your players are technically skilled and can adapt,’ yet it is about the type of football we wish to encourage.”
“Ultimately, it is a product we want to showcase in the best light for both teams, as I have observed quality players from Richards Bay and other teams we’ve faced.”
“It is undeniably in the interest of football to support a quicker game for both sides, making it more thrilling. Above all, we seek to provide an enjoyable experience, as football is a product offered to fans, and this would certainly help.”
