Veteran coach makes damning allegations against Mamelodi Sundowns' Miguel Cardoso - 'He didn't want to listen to Steve Komphela, he is trying to phase out Peter Shalulile and Themba Zwane'

Mamelodi Sundowns lost the Caf Champions League final against Pyramids following a 1-1 home draw and a 2-1 defeat away in Cairo.

Coach Miguel Cardoso opted to have his 35-year-old captain, Themba Zwane, as an unused substitute in both legs, which sparked a furore against the Portuguese.

Experienced forward Peter Shalulile came on from the bench in the two games, and that has left veteran coach Mlungisi Ngubane going hard on Cardoso.

"The Sundowns coach cost them the match [against Pyramids]," Ngubane told KickOff.

“While we’re not suggesting he should be sacked, he does need to evaluate his decisions more critically.

"Since Cardoso arrived, Shalulile has not played a full game. On Sunday, they needed him more than the young player Tashreeq Matthews. He should have started with Shalulile, Ribeiro, and Rayners, and brought in Mshishi in the second half.   

"However, Cardoso seems to favour Arthur Sales. I’m sure Cardoso’s assistant, Steve Komphela, advised him about Mshishi, but he didn’t want to listen," added the former Black Leopards coach.  

"Mshishi can disrupt the opposition and create space for players like Ribeiro. Most importantly, he can score goals.

"While Matthews is a talented player, the match against Pyramids was far too significant for him. He didn’t deserve to stay on the pitch for 70 minutes," the 69-year-old continued. 

"I believe this coach is trying to phase out Shalulile and Mshishi because of their age. By excluding them from games, he’s signalling that they won't be needed for next season. That’s my observation."

Zwane was sidelined despite making a comeback from a long-term injury in April and never showed any rustiness in the minutes he tasted action.

Ngubane's criticism of the decision on 31-year-old Shalulile can also be justified, given how the Namibian had picked himself up and started scoring midway through the season, only for him to be suddenly frozen out.

Shalulile managed to finish the season with 11 goals in 47 games across all competitions, as well as contributing two assists.

The Brazilians are now preparing for this June's Fifa Club World Cup.

Being a tougher tournament than the Champions League, it is to be seen if Cardoso will turn to the likes of Zwane, Thapelo Morena and Shalulile, as well as giving a fit-again Mothobi Mvala some game time.