Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso voiced his concerns regarding the team’s ball movement, even after securing a last-minute victory against AmaZulu in the Betway Premiership at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday.

Sundowns faced a tough second half, playing with one less player as goalkeeper Ronwen Williams received a red card for handling the ball outside the penalty box.

Despite this setback, they fought through and managed to net the decisive goal with Iqraam Rayners’ header in stoppage time, courtesy of a perfectly delivered free-kick by Teboho Mokoena.

This win represents Cardoso’s third straight 1-0 victory since taking over from Manqoba Mngqithi, having previously triumphed over Raja Casablanca and Stellenbosch FC.

“It was a tough match,” Cardoso commented after the game. “I wasn’t pleased with the speed we displayed in the first half. Our ball circulation was overly slow.”

“We had to boost our tempo, which is why we opted for three substitutions at halftime to inject more vitality into our play.”

“We generated plenty of goal-scoring opportunities during the match. I felt confident in our players’ ability to create impact. The replacements of Letlhaku Kutlwano, Peter Shalulile, and Thapelo Morena certainly brought new life to our performance. It was a high-intensity game, and we emerged victorious in the dying moments.”

The win lifted Sundowns to 27 points after 10 games, placing them three points ahead of Orlando Pirates, who emphatically defeated Marumo Gallants 8-1 at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.