Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is facing questions about his future after the South African giants suffered a shock elimination from the CAF Champions League.

The Brazilians were knocked out in the second preliminary round after drawing 1-1 against Angolan side Wiliete SC at Loftus Versfeld on Friday, 23 October 2026. The result saw Sundowns exit the competition on away goals after the first leg ended in a goalless draw in Angola.

The elimination marks the first time in 11 seasons that Sundowns have failed to reach the Champions League group stages, dealing a significant blow to the club's continental ambitions.

Cardoso described Sundowns' early Champions League exit as a painful setback but pointed to the team's recent continental achievements when discussing expectations at the club.

The Portuguese coach highlighted the Brazilians' performances under his leadership, including reaching the semi-finals and finals of the competition in recent seasons.

"This club is a club that has proposed itself for many years to win the Champions League… in the last four years, two semi-finals, two finals in the last two years with me at the head of the team, one star on the shirt," he said.

Rather than directly addressing whether the elimination could cost him his position, Cardoso emphasised the importance of evaluating the result alongside the team's broader performances.

He also reminded supporters that Sundowns had already won two trophies this season and were leading the South African league.

"This season we played for two trophies and won two trophies; we are leading the league in South Africa, it's a big knockout this one, it's a big punch in our faces, yes. But what will make us stronger is how we will react; there are so many more things to win," Cardoso added.

Sundowns entered the second leg needing a victory to secure their progression, and they initially appeared to be on course to achieve their objective.

Tashreeq Matthews opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving the home side an early advantage and raising hopes that the Brazilians would avoid an embarrassing continental exit.

However, Cristóvão "Mabululu" Paciência equalised three minutes into the second half, putting Wiliete SC back in control of the tie through the away-goals rule.

Although Sundowns dominated proceedings and registered 18 shots compared with Wiliete's six, they failed to find the decisive goal that would have kept their Champions League campaign alive.

Cardoso admitted that his team had missed an opportunity to settle the contest before half-time.

"We were not strong enough, and in a game, football penalises when you are not strong enough, because you had your moments to finish the game. I told the boys at half-time you should have finished the game," he explained.

The coach accepted responsibility for the disappointing result, insisting that the setback should not be blamed on one individual.

"When we win, everyone wins; when we lose, everyone loses. There are many reflections, many analyses that we will have to do together," he said.

Cardoso's future may remain a talking point following the shock elimination, but the Portuguese coach has made it clear that he believes the team can still achieve significant success this season.

Miguel Cardoso Under Pressure After Mamelodi Sundowns’ CAF Champions League Group-Stage Failure - Briefly.co.za