Furious Miguel Cardoso slams Mamelodi Sundowns players for playing with 'no brains' & takes at aim Orlando Pirates as 'there was a lot of noise in the first match about players slipping' but Jose Riveiro hails Soweto giants' 'excellent performance'

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro admitted that while it was a hard-fought victory, his men started the match in a terrific way.

“Yeah, well executed. Difficult to play against Sundowns, trust me, so difficult. They are so good,” Riveiro said on SuperSport TV.

“We started very well getting the lead. We want to be in advantage. Finally, you know, faced one game against them, and be us, the ones who is leading the game. Getting the double lead, it was something else.

“Obviously, it was a stormy beginning of the game from the boys. They really trust on what we were doing on the field and the consequences, excellent performance.

“Obviously suffering a little bit in the second period, but not much. We managed to contain them, usually in areas where we are not used to defend that close to Chaine," Riveiro said.

“But congratulations to the players, because they they managed to show who they are when we when we are in the right in the right space.”

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso slammed the mentality of his players.

“When you start a game like this, you should not expect good things,” Cardoso said.

“I can only commend that we had a good reaction after the goal until 25th minutes, and then we played until half-time with the heart, but no brain. The brain stayed in the locker room, and football is mostly played with the brain.

“On the second half, we brought a little bit more brain on the pitch. Unfortunately, there was a period of 15 minutes after our game that the referee allowed not to play no one."

“Everybody falling on the ground. No football. It’s a shame, but it’s what we have, and that took out our energy," Cardoso added

“If it was a strategy, it was a good strategy, because it took our energy out. We were punished by the beginning. Nothing more to say.”

“Pirates after winning [leading] 2-0 they settled back waiting, looking for nothing," said the Portuguese.

"Sometimes football is like this, nothing to say. We were penalised by our entrance in the game that’s it.

“All of them were playing with the right studs, but it’s good because there was a lot of noise in the first match about players slipping and today was similar," he added.

"So it’s the conditions we have and have nothing to say about that. We should’ve adapted and there’s no reason to enter a match like that."