Miguel Cardoso struggles to justify Mamelodi Sundowns' Caf Champions League loss against Pyramids - 'We found Masandawana struggling but reached final after beating first team in rankings'

Mamelodi Sundowns were beaten 2-1 by Pyramids in the second leg of the Caf Champions League final played at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.

Having played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Mzansi a week ago, the Premier Soccer League champions needed a high-scoring draw or a win of any kind to be crowned.

However, they ultimately lost 3-2 on aggregate, as Pyramids secured their maiden title.

Cardoso was appointed Downs' head coach on December 10, taking over from Manqoba Mngqithi, who had failed to deliver as expected.

The 53-year-old was keen on winning the Caf Champions League title after losing against Al Ahly during his time with Esperance.

It looked like Sundowns will eventually win their second star after beating the Red Devils to set up a final with Pyramids but things didn't go as planned.

Have a look at what Miguel Cardoso said after the game.

“The way we played since I arrived at Sundowns can only make me feel proud," Cardoso said after the game.

"So the fact that we are not happy, that I’m not happy, doesn’t mean that I’m not proud of everything we did until the moment we arrived at the final.

“But at the same time, I think that something was missed for us to be at the level we needed in order to win. It is not a question of who was the best or who was worst, because when there is a winner, it means they were better."

Cardoso feels his team didn't play as well as they should in the game against Pyramids.

“What I feel is that in some moments we did not find a way to compete at the level that we should have competed in order to win the trophy.

"Anyway, not many people, players, coaches, members of staff, board members, and clubs play finals of the Champions League and have the right to win a medal," he added.

“I would like to remind everyone that on the way to the final, we played Al Ahly, who are still the first team in the Caf rankings, and we beat them in the semi-final, and we played Esperance, and we beat them, and they are second in the Caf rankings,” the tactician added.

“When we arrived at Sundowns, the club was struggling in order to pass the group stages of the Caf Champions League.

"We had an immediately very tough game against Raja Casablanca, in a very tough group, which also had AS FAR. We were able to make it out of the group stage.

“All I mean is that throughout the tournament our players were able to show great commitment, great attitude, and also quality, and getting them to the final obviously makes me very proud.

"The feeling when you play a final and you don’t win, the defeat is obviously very bitter, very disappointing.

"But as I said before the match, I have a wonderful group of men in my locker room who are at this moment suffering, but they will get up as true champions that they are," Cardoso concluded.

The next assignment for Miguel Cardoso and his troops will be in the United States in the Fifa Club World Cup.

Sundowns are in Group F alongside Fluminense , Ulsan HD and Borussia Dortmund.