{"id":21224,"date":"2025-08-07T15:10:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=21224"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:04:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:04:58","slug":"cardoso-believes-mabena-is-ready-to-evolve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/cardoso-believes-mabena-is-ready-to-evolve\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardoso Believes Mamelodi Sundowns Youngster Mabena Is Ready to Evolve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As the highly anticipated 2025\/26 Betway Premiership season gets underway this weekend, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is placing his faith in teenage sensation Siyabonga Mabena to make a major leap in his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mabena-returns-with-a-bang\">Mabena Returns with a Bang<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The 18-year-old forward made a lively return to competitive action during Sundowns\u2019 commanding 4\u20130 win over Richards Bay in the MTN8 quarter-finals. Coming off a spell on the sidelines due to injury, Mabena entered from the bench and sealed the emphatic victory with a clinical finish, a moment that ignited jubilation both on the pitch and in the technical area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cardoso, visibly elated, rushed to celebrate with the young attacker at the corner flag, a clear indication of just how much this moment meant for both the coach and his prot\u00e9g\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1901023640\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-platform-for-growth\">A Platform for Growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cardoso praised Mabena\u2019s performance but stressed that the youngster still has a lot to learn if he is to fulfil his immense potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s now his time to step up, and that only happens through learning and reviewing his performances. I\u2019m proud of his display and the energy he brought into the game,\u201d the Sundowns boss reflected after their progression to the MTN8 semi-finals, where they\u2019ll lock horns with Orlando Pirates.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Cardoso\u2019s vision for Mabena aligns closely with the club\u2019s long-term philosophy of blending youth with experience. He noted that players like Mabena and Kutlwano Letlhaku represent the future but must still adapt to the tactical discipline expected at the elite level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGiving youngsters chances helps us experiment with ideas we\u2019re building for the future. That goal meant a lot, not just to him but to all of us,\u201d Cardoso added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-entertainment-vs-efficiency\">Entertainment vs Efficiency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While Mabena\u2019s flair and confidence on the ball have made him a crowd favourite, Cardoso cautioned against playing for the gallery. The teenager\u2019s pace and dribbling are exciting, but they occasionally lead to unnecessary risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe showed brilliant flashes, but he also made errors,\u201d Cardoso admitted. \u201cAt times, he played more for the spectators than for the team\u2019s needs. That\u2019s not sustainable \u2014 he must learn to play smart and not be influenced by cheers for fancy moves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a wealth of coaching experience across Europe and Africa, Cardoso emphasised that the environment around young players must be stable and supportive to allow them to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStrong teams give young players the platform to grow. Our job, as a coaching team and as senior players, is to guide them, not only when they shine but especially when they falter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gaute-1904002478\" class=\"gaute-inbetween-content gaute-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 30px;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><div class=\"gaute-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1852772760112594\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1852772760112594\" \ndata-ad-slot=\"1819787043\" \ndata-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script> \n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); \n<\/script>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-title-defence-begins-in-the-bay\">Title Defence Begins in the Bay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/orlando-pirates-face-sundowns-in-mtn8-semi-final\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sundowns<\/a> will officially kick off their league campaign on Saturday against Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The fixture pits Cardoso against Chilli Boys head coach Sinethemba Badela, a former Sundowns academy mentor, adding an intriguing subplot to the clash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kick-off is set for 3pm, with Sundowns aiming to set the tone early as they look to defend their league crown once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-all-eyes-on-mabena\">All Eyes on Mabena<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The spotlight may be on Sundowns as title holders, but much attention will also be focused on whether this will be Mabena\u2019s breakout year. With Cardoso\u2019s belief and guidance, and the structure of a championship-winning side behind him, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.co.za\/sport\/soccer\/local-soccer\/sundowns-cardoso-backs-young-mabena-to-step-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">teenage forward<\/a> could very well blossom into the star many expect him to become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, the message is clear: talent alone won\u2019t be enough. It\u2019s time for Mabena to grow into the disciplined, intelligent player the beautiful game demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/miguel-cardoso-eyes-mtn8-semi-final-battle-with-orlando-pirates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Miguel Cardoso Eyes MTN8 Semi-Final Battle with Orlando Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the highly anticipated 2025\/26 Betway Premiership season gets underway this weekend, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is placing his faith in teenage sensation Siyabonga Mabena to make a major leap in his career. Mabena Returns with a Bang The 18-year-old forward made a lively return to competitive action during Sundowns\u2019 commanding 4\u20130 win<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":21231,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"As the highly anticipated 2025\/26 Betway Premiership season gets underway this weekend, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso is placing his faith in...","footnotes":""},"categories":[56,64],"tags":[296,360,285,288],"class_list":{"0":"post-21224","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"category-sports-news","9":"tag-betway-premiership","10":"tag-mamelodi-sundowns","11":"tag-psl-news","12":"tag-soccer"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21224"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21233,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21224\/revisions\/21233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}