Coach Manqoba Mngqithi pleased with performance, calls for efficiency in front of goal

Matchday one against Al Hilal came saw Mamelodi Sundowns register a two-nil victory, which was the best possible start to the 2021 CAF Champions League group stages. The game took place at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday evening. Coach Manqoba Mngqithi shared his thoughts on the game against the Sudanese side: “We managed to achieve what we planned organisationally as we did not want them to play in our half, because aerially they are very strong and we could see that every time they got a set-piece. I also think that after we scored the goal we took our foot off the pedal and they started coming at us with a lot of throw-ins and corner kicks. This is a very strong team and has an awkward way of playing. Overall the game panned out the way we expected”.

The goals on the day were scored by Mosa Lebusa and Kermit Erasmus, Coach Manqoba Mngqithi also spoke about the number of chances the team is creating but not converting.

“We have been complaining about the team not being shrewd enough. If you look at the game against Chippa United, we scored two but we could have scored eight, in the Stellenbosch game also we could have scored more. We have not been clinical but if you look at our goal ratio it is not bad. We don’t always take our chances and we don’t want to put stress and anxiety on the players. It is a very sensitive area to touch but we are happy”.

After the first round of matches Masandawana top the group with three points and will be hoping to get a positive result when they travel to Algeria in matchweek 2, the game will take place on the 23rd of this month. Before the trip to the North, the Brazilians will take on Baroka FC in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday.