Parker: ‘TS Galaxy had an advantage over Sundowns’

TS Galaxy interim coach Benard Parker has shared the tactical masterplan that conquered fellow South African top-flight league side Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

The Betway Premiership defending champions emerged from Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga with a 3-2 loss to the hosts, the Rockets, to end domestic title league hopes.

Parker, speaking to SuperSport Television in a post-match pitch-side interview, said they had a psychological advantage over Miguel Cardoso’s side.

46′ Goal TS Galaxy

TS Galaxy 3-2 Sundowns

Sundowns Has conceded 6 goals in Two Games pic.twitter.com/Z57N4SMRe8

— Suller_SA (@suller_sa_) May 12, 2026

Parker sensed Sundowns pressure

The Kaizer Chiefs legend observed that the visitors from Pretoria were under pressure to collect maximum points and seal the domestic league title.

“As I said in the pre-match interview, we already had an advantage because of the psychological factor we had over them. At the same time, they were under more pressure from them wanting to score more goals and wanting to win,” he said.

CAF Champions League burden on Cardoso

The former Bafana Bafana forward added that Sundowns were desperate to get over the line and switch their focus to the CAF Champions League’s two-legged finals against AS FAR starting with the first leg on Sunday, 17 May 2026.

“It was also good for them to win this match going confidently into the Champions League, and we wish them the best,” Parker. “But as they say in football, you don’t have answers but solutions.

“We came up with the solutions in terms of us keeping the discipline, taking responsibility, having unity and passion in our defending and just hit them on the counterattack. We have been practicing on how they keep the high line and for us just to make sure that we attack the space behind.”

The first win in three attempts for the Chiefs legend ended Masandawana’s Betway Premiership hopes, as second positioned Orlando Pirates now just need three points from their remaining two fixtures to seize the championship.

The defeat in their final game of the campaign leaves Sundowns on 68 points, just three ahead of a surging Pirates who also possess a superior goal difference.