Lucas Suarez's blunder ensured that Wandile Duba of Kaizer Chiefs equalised against Mamelodi Sundowns during their Nedbank Cup semi-final on Sunday. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Medai
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Medai
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has thrown his full support behind defender Lucas Suarez after a high-profile error in their Nedbank Cup semi-final defeat to Kaizer Chiefs.
In a game where fine margins mattered, Suarez’s misplaced pass in the second half gifted Chiefs striker Wandile Duba a clear path to goal. This moment shifted momentum and will linger in the minds of many Masandawana faithful for days, perhaps weeks, to come.
But for Cardoso, the 30-year-old on-loan centre-back, deserves more credit than criticism.
“Look, I don’t see the things like that,” Cardoso said bluntly in the post-match press conference.
“We come from a high-level match on Wednesday where Lucas made a wonderful performance. As you know, he was lined up on the team of CAF Champions League of the week.”
Indeed, just days earlier, Suarez had impressed in a continental clash against Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis, helping Sundowns to a resilient display that earned plaudits across the continent. But football, as always, is based on the last game played; and a mistake on home soil in a massive domestic cup tie tends to overshadow any previous heroics.
“So, I think it’s not fair,” Cardoso continued.
“He made one mistake, but he made a normal game. He coped with the speed, tell me, a shot on the goal coming from a play that was his structure from shifts. I don’t remember any.”
“Be fair with the people, with the players, with myself, with the team, with the squad and the club. Analyse the things as they are. Just pick the results, look how it came from, and don’t punish a player that doesn’t deserve.”
Suarez, who joined Sundowns on loan from Argentine club CA Tallares in January, has been something of a paradox since arriving in Chloorkop.
His composure on the ball and ability to quicken Sundowns’ build-up has added a new dynamic to Cardoso’s setup — but with that comes the risk of high-stakes errors.
Chiefs striker Wandile Duba was candid after the match when speaking to SuperSport TV: “Yes, we knew. Our target was him. We knew he makes a lot of mistakes. We knew that if we forced him to play inside, he’ll pass us the ball.”
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso. Photo: Backpageopix
Image: Backpagepix
That quote stings. Not just because it exposes a tactical flaw, but because it suggests Suarez has now become a marked man — with teams circling, ready to pounce on any lapse in concentration as Sundowns chase silverware on multiple fronts.
But Cardoso remains firm in his stance. For him, one mistake doesn’t erase what Suarez brings to the team — especially in a season where the margins are razor-thin.
As Sundowns push toward the business end of the campaign, Suarez may need to silence the noise — and quickly. For now, though, his coach has his back.
