Mamelodi Sundowns have won two trophies already this season, and coach Miguel Cardoso said his team is not yet satisfied.
The Tshwane club beat Orlando Pirates 2-0 in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday. Teboho Mokoena and Iqraam Rayners scored the goals.
The win ended a long wait for Sundowns. They had not lifted the MTN8 trophy since 2021.
“It’s not that you collect two medals in October that you should be happy,” Cardoso said after the final.
“Well, we should be happy of course, but we have to be humble enough to know that we have a match to respect in two days and the qualifying round of the CAF Champions League to be played next weekend,” he said.
The MTN8 win came less than a month after Sundowns won the FIFA Africa-Asian-Pacific Cup. In that match, they beat Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia 2-1.
Sundowns can still win seven more competitions before the 2026/27 season ends, according to IOL. These are the CAF Super Cup, the FIFA Challenger Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
At home, the club is also in the Carling Knockout, the Nedbank Cup and the Betway Premiership. The seventh is the CAF Champions League.
If they won all of them, Sundowns would end the season with nine trophies. Each competition has a different route and different challenges.
Sundowns won the CAF Champions League last season. They now have to defend that title while also playing in local and international competitions.
Cardoso, who is Portuguese, has often spoken about the need for ambition. A busy fixture list could test how deep his squad is and how consistent his players can be.
After the MTN8 final, the coach told his players to enjoy the win. He also said they should not let it take their minds off the work still ahead.
Cardoso said the Carling Knockout and other tests would need the team to stay focused. He said the players must trust the values the group has built.
IOL reported that managing the squad, keeping players fit and staying consistent will matter more as the fixtures pile up.
The two FIFA competitions will let Sundowns test themselves against top clubs from other continents. The CAF Super Cup gives them another chance to add to their record in Africa.
In the league, Sundowns will try to take the Betway Premiership title back from Pirates, who won it last season.
Sundowns play Richards Bay in a Betway Premiership match at Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday.
After that, they travel to Angola to start their Champions League title defence. They face Wiliete Sport Clube in the final qualifying round.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.