Veteran tactician slams Miguel Cardoso and states Mamelodi Sundowns 'nowadays play like Stellenbosch' and 'no longer strike fear in opponents'

Veteran coach Joel Masilela has slammed Miguel Cardoso and Mamelodi Sundowns following a 1-1 Premier Soccer League draw against Marumo Gallants.

The tactician said he was not impressed at all by how the Brazilians played, saying the team looked different from the one that took part in the 2026 FIFA Club World Cup in June.

"I was not happy with what I saw yesterday, both tactically and technically. There's no longer flair. We are not the same team we were at the Club World Cup," Masilela told KickOff.

"We’re no longer the team that struck fear into our opponents over the past 10 years. We have become ordinary. Something needs to change, and quickly."

"The last time we played satisfying football was under South African coaches, but nowadays we play like Stellenbosch."

Sundowns' coach was also not spared, as Masilela says he is responsible for the fallen standards.

"We shouldn't beat around the bush - it's clear that the current performance is linked to our technical staff. We are not struggling because Lucas Ribeiro [Costa] left; we are struggling because of the technical team," he said.

"There are many mistakes being made by the current technical staff, and I’m not sure how this will be fixed because the mentality of the Sundowns players is not right at the moment."

The league defending champions dropped more points in the season after they were held to a 1-1 on Wednesday.

This was a third draw after previous such results against Chippa United and Kaizer Chiefs.

The draw against Gallants was more costly for Sundowns as they failed to reclaim the top spot. Downs are second, sitting one point fewer than Sekhukhune United, who have played six games as compared to seven for the Tshwane giants.

Sundowns will face PSL newbies Durban City on September 20, a game they expect to win and recover from the frustrations caused by Gallants.