Cardoso must find ways of using his depth to win a treble

MIGUEL Cardoso will have to to work with what he has and make the most of it this week, if he's to win a treble in his first season at Mamelodi Sundowns.

- MIHLALI BALEKA.

Sundowns will be back in action on Friday night (kick-off 7pm) after the Fifa break when they host Sekhukhune United in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final in Atteridgeville.

The timing of this fixture’s rescheduling, which was postponed due to a double-booking of the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe stadium, probably doesn't please the Portuguese tactician. Cardoso will feel it's too soon, as his international players will only be available for training - if at all - on Thursday after flying back into the country.

Cardoso would have preferred to focus solely on their CAF Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash at home to Esperance the following Tuesday before playing any match. After all, his former employers, Esperance, will do the same - flying to South Africa, and playing the Brazilians in the nation's capital at 3pm on that day.

But if Sundowns are the ambitious team they claim to be and want to compete in every competition, Cardoso must understand that he can’t have everything his way. He must take the knocks.