Struggling Lucas Ribeiro Costa compared to tomato sauce bottle by Miguel Cardoso as coach makes claims after Mamelodi Sundowns star 'made goals in matches against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs'

Mamelodi Sundowns forward Lucas Ribeiro Costa last scored a goal at the beginning of March and is now enduring a dry spell.

But his coach, Miguel Cardoso, has leapt to the defence of the speedy attacker.

“I totally understand the question and I think it’s important to comment… after Lucas made the goals in those matches against Pirates and Chiefs, after that it was clear all the teams were worried so much about him, closing him with two or three players,” Cardoso said as per iDiski Times.

“It’s made his job much more difficult and because of that we don’t see him so free on the pitch. What is important is that the team understands that when there’s two, three players on him, there’s other spaces on the pitch that should be used, we should relate to that. 

“Also, himself, he should understand when he receives so much pressure, he should release the ball and let the others play, so that he can position himself in order to find spaces and play…," added the Portuguese tactician.

“Lucas will be like the ketchup, when you start asking [and hitting the bottle] for it to go out and then suddenly boof! It comes a lot more than it’s supposed to. 

“I think that will come naturally for Lucas because he’s working normally, so I just think he can be stable enough to make that moment arrive and appear.”

However, despite losing his scoring touch, Costa remains the Premier Soccer League's top scorer with 13 goals while providing seven assists.

Interestingly, he never scored in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup, while he managed a goal and three assists in the Carling Knockout.

The last time he scored in the Caf Champions League was in September 2024 and he has two goals and an assist in 10 appearances in this continental tournament.

Sundowns are facing a crucial Champions League trip to Al Ahly, where they need their best players to rise to the occasion and Ribeiro is expected to pick himself up and inspire Masandawana into the final.

This comes as the Brazilians have gone for three straight games without winning for the first time under Cardoso.