The first game of the 2020/21 season kicked off with the MTN 8 clash against Bloemfontein Celtic at the Lucas Moripe Stadium. This game was a signal of a new era for the newly assembled technical team. This was the second time in two successive seasons that the two sides met at the same stage of the tournament.
With several signings made the technical team made a couple of changes and gave Nyiko Mobbie, Haashim Domingo and Peter Shalulile a place in the starting eleven.
The game started with the two sides having a look at each other and Masandawana had the first opportunity of the game when Ricardo Nascimento took a shot that was brilliantly saved by Jackson Mabokgwane after a Gaston Sirino corner. In the 19th minute, Siwelele had a great chance to take the lead after Sera brought the ball down with his chest and had only the keeper to beat but Denis Onyango was quick off his feet to close the space and grab the ball.
After the first water break, the visitor’s had a chance to take the lead as Victor Letsoalo took a shot but it never troubled Onyango. Both teams went into the half time break with the scores locked at 0-0.
The second half started off great for the Brazilians, debutant Peter Shalulile had an opportunity to take the lead but his shot was saved by Mabokgwane who was proving to be the man standing in the way of a victory for Masandawana. Captain fantastic Hlompho Kekana took one of his trademark shots from outside the box and had Mabokgwane well beaten, only for the woodwork to keep the score still at 0-0.
With the time on the clock ticking the coaches made a change to get some firepower up front, Kermit Erasmus was given the chance to make his debut as he came on for Haashim Domingo. Minutes after the substitution Siwelele found the back of the net after Letsoalo headed the ball to the back of the net after a setpiece.
The Brazilians kept pushing but the goal for an equaliser kept eluding until the referee blew for fulltime.
Starting Eleven
Denis Onyango, Nyiko Mobbie (Modiba ’72), Motjeka Madisha, Ricardo Nascimento, Lyle Lakay, Hlompho Kekana, Rivaldo Coetzee (Jali ’88), Haashim Domingo (Erasmus ’62), Gaston Sirino ( Makgalwa ’88), Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile (Mkhulise ’88)
Subs
Kennedy Mweene, Keletso Makgalwa, Mosa Lebusa, George Maluleka, Kermit Erasmus, Aubrey Modiba, Andile Jali, Sphelele Mkhulise, Promise Mkhuma
We were just unfortunate not to score,overall the performance was good.My major concerns are with the decision making by the technical team,one, you play a knockout cup,the team is losing,you are allowed to make 5 substitutions yet you take too long to replace and ended up making majority of replacement in the 88 minutes and ended up replacing your best player on the pitch (Shaulile) ,for me it makes no sense.Shaulile was chasing all the balls,holding them and passing them to the on coming players.The other one is the Kekana issue,he was losing the balls and i never saw him winning a single ball which is his primary duty,the only good thing he did was those two shoots yet we he played 90 plus minutes.You can’t compromise the happiness of the whole Downs family to please an individual,he is our captain but not an indispensable player.His paring with Coetzee is not working the both can’t carry the team forward,they lack creativity and drive to propel the team forward.I think you must analyse and scrutinize the contribution of each player the you shall see where you lost it.This tendency by the coaches to make substitutions on the last minutes is not on,i think you make changes to change the complexion of the game or kill the rhythm of the opponents,you just can’t a play to change the game in two minutes when he first needs to adjust to the rhythm of the game.Put your house in order,don’t be scared to take bold decisions early and play players on merit not reputation because you owe no player any favor.All is not lost and hope this loss is an eye opener.The sky is the limit.
Downs4ever please man we all hurting but let the technical team do its job – those guys are facing the fire and enduring a lot of insults and yet they wearing their bright faces . I wonder if you were that close to the fire you will still be talking like you are now . we all let hurt overwhelm us when we are hurting .
Spot on member
I was happy to see Mobie performing like that to he was my man of the match,I even asked myself why Pitso loaned such a player and keep Ngcongca who’s got no stamina of going up and down.
The performance was good don’t mind Soweto teams for laughing at us,me I saw a lot of positives on yesterday game,even the days of Pitso we’re losing not just everything was perfect pls let’s not despair kuzolunga sooner than later, Kby forever
True Muzi let’s allow them(soweto teams) to laugh at us cause we will do the same to them when they loose.
Technical team will polish Mobbie and he will come right and I had coach mentioned somethings that he needs to improve even before the game.
That alone it brings hope to me.
True Muzi let’s allow them(soweto teams) to laugh at us cause we will do the same to them when they loose.
Technical team will polish Mobbie and he will come right and I heard coach mentioned somethings that he needs to improve even before the game.
That alone it brings hope to me.
Technical team don’t be concerned about your
New style of play as yet..
Try to collect maximum
points against Kaizer Chiefs,
I saw what you are trying to do is pleasing to the eye,
Onyango seems to under
Perform when he come
from the break,, bench
him for five games , his
Fighting spirit will come
back..
Don’t bench Nyiko Mobbie plz play him
Lebusa must be included
Because Chiefs scores with set pieces
No too bad performance, but unlucky as usually with MTN cup. My concern is still about the unnecessary many signings that the club made, 14 in total, which will make the technical team confusion about the players to choose in the starting line-up. There will be some good players who are not going to play and leave just the club just like that. For me, three to four signings of appropriate players, two strikers and two defenders could be enough for the club, do not fix something that is not broken. This makes us to think that they are some people in the club management who are doing it for their personal financial benefits, what we supporters cannot accept, because it kills the team spirit.
I still feel despite the team winning treble but performance that team of last season not good enough to win the CAF champions league! Remember the ABSA league championship cup it was more on Chiefs loosing the cup to us than losing it! This current team have got all the players that they might need, they just need to come up with some a winning strategy! Shalulile spent most the time fighting against 4 defenders alone! The supporting midfielders were too far from from him!
Hard luck to the team lets focus on our next game now and try to get 3 points
We played well last night, we have a very good team that will compete. I will be happy if we can defend the league and do well in Africa. lets give the technical team a chance
Shalulile, what a player, he is going to be a top goal scorer with 22 goals.
Overall, we were just unlucky to lose this one. I can’t blame the team for this one. Hard luck boys.
I just pray that the technical team does not introduce so many new players in the starting eleven.
Make them work for it so as not to discourage those who carried us last season. Introduce them gradually coach please.
i am happy about the way we played Team…everyone showed character….we night have lost but we played like the big boys we are….I am proud of you coaches…..don’t worry it will gel….i am happy about what i saw….