Cardoso applauds Downs for 'beautiful' win over Leipzig

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso was happy how his side managed to rally from behind to secure a 3-1 win over Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig on Friday evening.

After going behind through a scorching finish by Samba Konate, the recently crowned African champions rallied back in the second half courtesy of a Brayan Leon double and last minute belter by starlet Bennet Mokoena.

READ | Sundowns secure comeback win over Bundesliga giants

Sundowns have thus officially signed off their season – a week after hoisting the coveted CAF Champions League in Rabat and will take a much-needed rest.

“I think the first half was very good in terms of compromise from the team, trying to be always organised and have the ball as best as possible, we saw Denis giving the strongest example of how to keep the ball, being always available to play under big pressure,” Cardoso told SABC Sport.

“You saw, a lot of numbers in the front but I told the boys they have to enjoy it and profit, it will be better to suffer a goal from a mistake than from a throw in the front that can give a counter-attack and then the excitement came at halftime.

“They were feeling so comfortable, I told them the guys lets keep the rhythm, dynamic, discipline and let’s enjoy the game and try to bring the game as much as possible to our intensity.

“They released energy, let it flow, it’s a match without responsibility, well it’s a match with responsibility but no pressure with the result and we had a beautiful, beautiful game with a lot of boys showing Bennet with a fantastic bend - Kutlwano was good in the first half, well there’s no space to speak about individuals when you see such a beautiful match like today,’ Cardoso added.

As such and like many others, the African heavyweights will turn to the FIFA World Cup and go on a two weeks rest before resuming for a busy season ahead.

“Sure, now it’s important that this year but not all but the players that aren’t on the World Cup can have a good rest. Two good weeks of rest and then slowly with the right direction start going back so that we start the next season with the level of capacity that we need.

“The World Cup will be a beautiful event; we’ve been in the Club World Cup recently. The ones there will enjoy a lot, we will enjoy the best football in the world and the best players to play against each other. From the sofas at home, we’ll see beautiful football.

“But I really want to leave a word to complement the players today, I think our president is very happy because they asked us to really try to show the badge.

“We’re already carrying because we going to have a lot of international matches to play so this is very important, we can indeed compete with teams that have such a level and we showed that we can, we’ll do our best to be at that level."