Miguel Cardoso not pleased with number of goals Mamelodi Sundowns scored against Mpheni Home Defenders as Phuravhathu Vhutshilo laments 'giveaway' goals in Nedbank Cup clash - 'We should have scored more'

Mamelodi Sundowns secured a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Mpheni Home Defenders at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon, booking their place in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals.

This was made possible by first-half goals from Tashreeq Matthews, who was dismissed early in the second half after receiving two yellow cards, and Bathusi Aubaas, who delivered a Man of the Match performance.

Sundowns mentor Miguel Cardoso expressed satisfaction with the victory but was not content with the goals scored by his team, meanwhile, Home Defenders coach Vhutshilo Phuravhathu feels his team deserved at least one goal.

"That’s a very interesting question and it's interesting why because obviously after you score the second goal, the expectation is that you going to finish with a high score," Cardoso told SuperSport TV after the match.

"That's what I told the lads at halftime that we were supposed to take responsibility of scoring more goals, it was obvious that we could have even done it in the first half.

"Anyway, we are in the second half and the fact that Tashreeq Matthews makes a mistake and gets expelled, our blushes were just to manage the game and that’s what we did," explained the Portuguese tactician. 

"I tried as much as possible to hold the players outside that were sharp that we didn’t need to put them and put more time on the legs and finish the game, that was the objective," he added. 

"But the answer is direct and straight, is that I’m not happy because we should have won by more numbers, but in the end, we did the job, and I have nothing to say." 

"When Sundowns got a red card, we decided to make changes upfront to press them high and to put pressure on their back three, and we did create chances, but unfortunately, we couldn't score," Phuravhathu said. 

"But my worry was the first chance that we got in the first half before halftime, had we converted that chance, we could maybe come back in the second half with confidence and find the equalizer.

"My players respected Sundowns too much in the first half, but at half-time, I told them that they better beat us with many goals but we should fight against Sundowns even though we respect them," he added. 

"I worry that we conceded two soft goals, those are two giveaway goals, but obviously, it's a game of football, and this was a big boost heading back to the league action." 

Sundowns will find out their Nedbank Cup quarter-final opponents on Monday as they prepare for their PSL match against Marumo Gallants scheduled for Wednesday.

Conversely, the Limpopo-based team, Home Defenders, will keep striving to secure a place in the ABC Motsepe League national playoffs.