Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso acknowledged that the performance was not their best but praised his players’ improved attitude in the second-half against Marumo Gallants.

The Brazilians claimed a 3-1 victory over a stubborn Gallants side through an own goal by Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and a double by Teboho Mokoena, which cancelled out Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo’s equaliser at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.

The win sees Sundowns move to the top of the Betway Premiership standings with 50 points from 21 matches, two points ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates.

Cardoso admitted he was far from pleased with his side’s first-half display despite Sundowns ultimately securing all three points, saying the team only showed the required intensity after the break.

“I think you resume it very well, technically not the best game. First half, I was really, really not satisfied,” Cardoso told SuperSport after the game.

“I think we need to understand it’s time to give everything from the first minute, we were a little bit sloppy on the start and then I think we showed not too much respect for the others but for ourselves.

“By not committing with the highest intensity and when thoughts flow your energy. Second half, we changed the attitude, it was not the best game I repeat. But a good fight in the second half, I think we had to take the bull by the horns and in the end quite tasty three points for sure.

“Now, obviously this is a team that doesn’t know how to play without the ball so despite you mind can go one dimension that needs to defend the result which was so difficult to achieve. You cannot have that attitude, we need to defend the way knowing how to play our football,” he concluded.