Mamelodi Sundowns fought hard but could not get the goal as they drew 0-0 with Lamontville Golden Arrows on Wednesday evening. The game marked the ninth outing in the month of April for The Brazilians in what has been a non-stop month of football.
The technical team made a few changes to the starting xi that faced Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday with Rushine De Reuck, Kermit Erasmus, Sphelele Mkhulise and Aubrey Modiba coming in for Brian Onyango, Gift Motupa, Gaston Sirino and Lyle Lakay
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The first half saw the two sides fight to create clear cut chances in a closely-contested affair. Kermit Erasmus was the first to cause trouble for the Arrows defence in the third minute when he fired a ball across the face of goal which was begging for a teammate to tap home. Denis Onyango showed why he is leading the clean sheet standings as he was alert to any danger that entered his area. As the first half came to a close, Lebohang Maboe had a chance to strike when the ball fell to him in the box but his volley went over the bar.
The second half saw the coaches throw on Gift Motupa in place of Andile Jali to beef up the firepower up top. Downs started the half with a flurry of attacks but could not breach the back of the net. Modiba and Themba Zwane had strikes from range which were denied by Mlungwana in goals.
Ultimately Bafana Ba Styled were forced to share the spoils with the team from Kwa-Zulu Natal which takes The Brazilians to forty-eight points at the top of the DStv Premiership. Up next, Sundowns begin the month of May with a trip to Orlando to take on Pirates in a crunch clash.
How we lined up:
Onyango, Morena, Modiba, de Reuck, Lebusa, Maboe, Mkhulise, Coetzee, Jali (59’ Motupa) , Zwane (84’ Mkhuma), Erasmus (84’ Vilakazi)
Pieterse, Nascimento, Mkhuma, Vilakazi, Lakay, Mudau, Kapinga, Motupa, Mvala
This is not a bad result. We had more urgency today. I still feel it wont be difficult to win the league. Maboe needs to practice shooting… He gets into good positions but… Even clear chances. The other thing I’ve noticed is the hard Loftus pitch… Doesn’t it get watered before the match? Somebody needs to do something because it’s almost the same as playing in those pitches in Africa. I was surprised by Erasmus fitness considering the fact that he’s from an injury
I’ve been protecting our Wisemen since day one but today I don’t think it will be good to still have them as our coaches,I mean the guys are wise in talking big English and analyzing our opponents forgetting to stick to our team,Zwane guys is tired he’s wasteful so as the selfish Maboe,the first half no shorts on target from a big team like Sundowns it was first time I saw that but what they are obsessed with was possession which was sky high with no sense of urgency you can swear we are at Chloorkop for a practice. Onyango stays on the ball long time and he likes to do that but our so called Wisemen didn’t say anything inorder to catch our opponents with counter attack.
I thought we will substitute early but they sat with players till late.We will not beat Bucs with this type of mentality maybe we will get a point and I’m afraid what will happen on Champs league with this annoying slow build ups and too much possession on our area not hurting them hard.
Pls young Motsepe look for the coach next year or make one to be a head coach assisted by the two.
I won’t say we are tired Downs have good players sitting on the stand, happy that Sirino wasn’t there hope he stays out and join by Maboe and Zwane.
Meanwhile, Bennie is reducing even our superior goal difference. AmaZulu are well deserved champions. What an achievement it’ll be for Zungu, just bought the team and win the league with mostly average players, because they bought wisely. They didn’t just buy because the players were good at their teams, they bought what they wanted and what would fit their team. They’ll be on top of the log come Sunday. As for us, we have depth but we’re not using it. The very same players who’re failing us recently, will be starting again on Sunday, as tired and ineffective as they are. From leading with 9 points and games in hand at some stage, to being dislodged from the top spot, I think AmaZulu would’ve outdone what we did to Zebras. 80% of the team is just prepared not to die with their boots on, but they keep playing. In my view, only Shalulile, Onyango, Morena, de Reuck and Lebusa wear the sleeves on their hearts. The rest are like they’re being forced to play, even their body languages suggest that.
The substitutions were very late. Movie and Themba are clearly tired and we have replacement of those players. Why are we taking so long to make Substitutions? Why is it difficult to replace Themba? Why is Mkhuma only given five minutes while we can see his potential? We won the league in the bubble last season because of fringe players but this technical team doesn’t see that at this stage of the season you need to use fresh players cos the regulars are tired because they playing too many games
Laba bayasihlanyela nje kwaphela..we not an average team…stop this nonsense of position football..and later play a goaless draw…MUSANI UKUDLALA NGATHI..AKEKHO UMDLALI ONGAHOLI KAHLE KWI SUNDOWNS…I UNDERSTAND INDABA KA MSHISHI… BAFWE2 HAYI NGOBA E SELFISH..UZONIKA BANI IBHOLA…BAYASHWEBA LABANTU…KHUMBULANI… NJALO ULILANDA E CENTER..AFIKE ESEKHATHELE…to Modiba stop playing not to make mistakes..u not enjoying your game..ur good with the ball at your feet..but usaba ukwenza amaphutha..THATHA ABANTU KULUNGILE IF KUNGEKANGA..PLZ…
Angim defend Zwane naye la kufanele aphase uyakhahlela….NGOBA he can’t kick the ball..he needs to spend time..in placing the ball..and always know where the goalkeeper..is positioned..both nino Mkhulise…yehlisa ukushweba MSHISHI..zama lento engiyishoyo..uzofa amagoli..musa ukuvele ukhahlele ungazi ume ngakephi goalkeeper…blv me uzoba no 1…emagolini
We cant win them all and it is normal for any great team to be in this situstion but come end of the season we will win the league with two games remaining. KBY I remain
Manqoba said on his post match interview the players are little bit jaded but come next match they will field the same players who are fatigue.
It seems they don’t trust other players no matter how hard they tried at the gym,Kapinga is similar to Zwane and fresh he can play but to them he’s good to start from the bench.
Our Wisemen are arrogant even they knew that its a one point gap between us and uSuthu they still dwell on that two games in hand that’s why to them its fine even we drew.
This people make us to remember Pitso which I don’t like,seriously they failed us,pls analyze the performance of your players and keep to yourselves the analysis of the opponents.Safa gave us a good chance of five substitutes a match but they even fail to capitalize on that.
I think coaching Downs going forward is too big for you guys next season look for job elsewhere even you win this season premiership mina sengibongile ngani niyizehluleki(failures).
If we notice since Kekana &Nascimento been relegated thinks change to worse Maboe miss golden scoring opportunities Manqoba is failure he fail at Amazulu after Tovey lay sweet foundatiion at Arrows won cup because 2 Brazilians were coaching
The problem with Manqoba and Rhulani is that they obsessed with beautiful soccer before scoring goals that’s why they failed dismally from their previous teams. They are coaches who are good on only to be assistants not being head coaches.
If you look at Chelsea we play similar type of football but now since Lampard sacked they move the ball fast and look for scoring opportunities and catch the opponents offguard,but during Lampard era it was only good soccer,how can you ended up not scoring whereas during the game you once had 65 percent to 35 percent to Arrows, seriously with this attitude we are going nowhere Downs need to be ruthless especially when they’re on opposition area but my team keep on knocking the ball unnecessarily even on eighteen area no shooting outside that area.
Let’s change our approach and practice shooting accurately and I will always says the days of piano and shoeshine are over we even failed to beat the novice Mathebula and Maleka of TTM with our Wisemen but we major ourselves as powerhouse who want to beat Wydad and Al Alhly by playing beautifully football on eyes with no goals.The hiding aMaZulu gave CTC yesterday should be our dailybread with the kind of players we have but akunjalo.Bennie didn’t do much but he kept them on their toes even rebuke them if they don’t perform not just sitting on the bench as if all is well and after the game you tell us we drew or lost to a game we’re not supposed to lost or drew instead of dealing with culprits,pls Wisemen save your job by being hard on this players and you know who are they don’t be afraid of them.
My friendly advice to the three so called wisemen it time to stop analysing your opponents and start preparing your cvs cause what you did last night proved beyond reasonable doubt that you are cowards and Downs is too big for you,even if you can win the league by mercy of God you are gone.You are scared to play without Zwane or replace him early even if is tired and off form.You make second the substitution in 85th minutes again like you did against chiefs.What has Mkhuma did wrong to play 5 minutes even if he does more job in that limited time than your beloved players?I think you good as assistant coaches only.To management pls find us a coach who can make us play good effective football,win cups and build a team by playing with youngsters.We failed to beat the team that played young players,even manqoaba said after the game “those Arrows young players are hard workers but he failed to play ours and resorted to play age instead of hard work.Please start searching for a coach now to start the preseason with the team if you are serious about this team.You luxury of making 5 substitutes yet you make your second substitute in the 85th minute even when the team is struggling,I give up on you.We will be out of the champions league tomorrow after the draw.We have good team with depth and three very weak assistant coaches.We are a big and ambitious brand and we need a coach who is ambitious also.
From 6 points lead now is one after Sunday amazulu will be leading ooh this coaches
Guys, the league is not won by winning all your matches. Nor is it won by beating Chiefs and Pirates e.g. Chiefs beat both Sundowns and Pirates and where are they? We will lose and draw matches. The goal is to win the league.. even if it is by goal difference. You do not have win the league by 10 points. Lets give the coaches the chance to do their job. Sundowns will win the league. We know how to win the league.