Following their dismal loss to Wiliete SC of Angola, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has criticised his team for the team's unexpected exit from the CAF Champions League.

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After failing to qualify for the continental competition's group stages, the Brazilians were eliminated early in the second preliminary round. The outcome was the first time the Premier Soccer League heavyweights have not advanced to that level since 2015.

The defending champions' campaign ended abruptly, disappointing supporters and casting doubt on the team's performance since they were supposed to advance farther in the league.

Cardoso acknowledged that Sundowns were to blame for their inability to advance in an interview with SABC Sport following the game, maintaining that their opponents posed little attacking danger.

Miguel Cardoso Accepts Blame for Sundowns' CAF Champions League Elimination

Cardoso acknowledged how hard it was for the team to accept elimination before making it to the group stages and expressed his disappointment at the outcome.

The Portuguese coach contended that Sundowns had generated enough opportunities to win, but they had not taken advantage of them.

"It's obviously difficult to express anything when you don't qualify for the group stages and you cannot even proceed in the competition and defend the title," Cardoso remarked, "but we just can look at ourselves." He also noted that Wiliete had found it difficult to pose a threat to the South African team, implying that Sundowns' errors were a major factor in their opponents' advancement. Apart from one shot in the first half, I don't think Wiliete has done anything in this game. Our own striker made the pass that allowed them to score. It's a really trying nite, a very difficult moment, and we have so many opportunities to complain about ourselves," he continued.

His remarks brought to light the dissatisfaction in the Sundowns camp following a game in which the squad failed to convert its opportunity into the outcome required to stay in the competition.

Cardoso underlined the need of moving forward and focusing on the competitions Sundowns still have access to despite the defeat.

After losing out on a chance to defend its European title, the club will now need to focus on its remaining domestic obligations.

For a team that has emerged as one of South Africa's top football teams in recent years, the early elimination is also an unexpected development.

The immediate task for Cardoso and his team will be to bounce back from the loss, correct the errors that led to their elimination, and win back the trust of the fans.

Sundowns will now be under pressure to perform well in their remaining games, even though the coach made it plain that his team had no one else to blame for the outcome.

Miguel Cardoso Identifies the Reason Behind Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League Exit - Briefly.co.za