Ex-Sundowns star hails Amakhosi’s tactical masterclass
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Former Sundowns player Papi Mbele has praised Kaizer Chiefs’ counter-pressing and counter-attacking display in their 1-1 Betway Premiership draw on Saturday. Photo: Gallo
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Ex-Sundowns star hails Amakhosi’s tactical masterclass
Aug 17, 2026 – 11:10 am
By Sipho Mlotha
Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs played to an entertaining 1-1 draw at the FNB Stadium on Saturday, delivering a highly satisfying spectacle for the fans in attendance — and earning plaudits from a former Masandawana star.
Ex-Sundowns player Papi Mbele, speaking to KickOff, was full of praise for Amakhosi’s tactical approach, insisting that the Naturena-based outfit deserved credit rather than the result being put down to a Sundowns underperformance.
“Sundowns did not underperform; Chiefs demonstrated an understanding of Sundowns’ style of play, effectively utilising counter-pressing and counter-attacking strategies, which they executed commendably,” Mbele told KickOff.
“Sundowns maintained their playing style despite the pressure from Chiefs. The team has shown significant improvement since last season.”
Mbele believes Chiefs’ display is a sign of things to come this season and warned that the Glamour Boys will pose problems for many teams in the Betway Premiership.
“Chiefs will give a lot of teams headaches this season. The game on Saturday was tactically well-managed by both sides. Goals were scored due to mistakes from each team, reflecting their strategic approach during the match. There is a notable quality within this Chiefs squad.”
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The former Sundowns man also highlighted the influence of Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz, pointing to the Portuguese mentor’s emphasis on disciplined ball possession as a key factor in Amakhosi’s improved performances. However, he did note that the goal conceded — scored by Sundowns’ Cassius Mailula — stemmed from a goalkeeping error by Brandon Petersen.
“Their coach [Fernando da Cruz] emphasises disciplined ball possession, as evidenced by Cassius Mailula, the shortest player on the field, who scored for Sundowns following a mistake by the Chiefs goalkeeper [Brandon Petersen], who chose to focus on the player’s head rather than the ball,” Mbele added.