Mamelodi Sundowns have bowed out of the Nedbank Cup following a 1-2 defeat in a classic clash against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday night at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld. With how both sides came guns blazing, the encounter promised to be not only physically demanding, but an exciting one too.
The first box entry came from the visitors. A backheel pass in front of goal threatened the Downs rearguard but a calm Bathusi Aubaas cleared the ball to save his side from conceding early. The hosts had a quick response to the early threat by their counterparts through Teboho Mokoena. His famous shot at range was deflected, earning his side a corner. Lucas Ribeiro took the setpiece and delivered it to Marcelo Allende. Allende then made a cut back to Iqraam Rayners who hit it high above the bar.
After the nervy start, Masandawana started to pick up their pace and looked confident on the ball. A big chance came for them when Allende managed to bypass the Chiefs’ high pressure. He gave the ball to Ribeiro who delivered it to Rayners whose effort was smacked away by the goalkeeper.
The Brazilians piled up pressure in Amakhosi’s half which forced mistakes out of thevisitors. While trying to get the ball out of the danger area, Shalulile made aninterception with his chest. His attempt to send the ball to Rayners was cleared before Rayners could receive it.
Just after the hour mark, the visitors hit a long-range shot but luckily RonwenWilliams was high on alert as he backtracked to the net to smack the ball away.
In the final moments of the opening half, a late challenge was made on Allende while he was driving the ball into the danger zone. The foul prompted the referee to award the hosts a free-kick on the edge of the area. Taken by Mokoena, he fired the shot that found the tongue of the net to break the deadlock for his side. He helped his side head to the interval with an upper hand.
Before the hour mark, while looking to clear the ball, Lucas Suarez made a mistake which Chiefs capitalized on and equalized.
Masadawana had a chance to snatch back the lead through Ribeiro. He had connected well with the ball mid-air and struck a shot but the effort went over the bar.
In the final moments of the match, Amakhosi were awarded a free-kick. Unable to clear the lines, the Brazilians couldn’t get the defence right which saw the visitors scoring the winning goal. With a few minutes added into play, the hosts were unable to get a goal, seeing them bow out of the Nedbank Cup.
How we lined up: Williams ©, Mudau, Kekana, Suarez, Lunga, Allende, Aubaas, Mokoena, Ribeiro, Shalulile, Rayners.
Subs: Onyango, Lebusa, Modiba, Esquivel, Sales, Matthews, Mdunyelwa, Tiwani, Adams.
This loss is even more painful than the one against Magesi as Magesi played very good football against us. Loosing to such a poor team like Kaizer Chiefs was the lowest point, and I’m now convinced as ever that we’ll end this season empty-handed. At this rate Al Ahly is going to finish us off and bury us in Cairo. This is the weakest Sundowns I’ve ever seen in so many years. The last time we played good football was actually against Golden Arrows, from then it was just a down spiral. In Tunisia 🇹🇳 it was just a fighting spirit, no football at all. Both Al Ahly and Esperance are at their weakest in this Champions League edition.
There were no tactical plans for the game yesterday. No creativity in the midfield, Tebza and Allende just committing fouls and giving ball possession cheaply in the middle of the park. They only redeemed themselves with the goal, with Allende winning the free kick and Tebza converting it. Otherwise there’s nothing that one can write home about their contributions. The substitution of Rayners for Sales made things even worse. Sales will never be good for Sundowns. We have so many creative players @ Downs, but sadly they’re not being given any chance and we have to be subjected to players like Sales.
We lose some,draw some and win some that’t the nature of the game. Maswandawana the coach is taking us for a ride and insulting our football knowledge,offside or no offside, the coach should have been bold enough to acknowledge his his mistakes instead of blindsiding us by making lot of noise.Taking off Aubaas and Rayners at halftime was his biggest mistake,we were stable in the and threatening in the first with Rayners and Aubaas even though Allende and Mokoena were losing the balls cheaply,we were leading and under no threat from chiefs,after replacing Rayners we were blunt upfront,contrary to what he said in the 2nd half we never had shot on target for the whole 50 minutes in a cup game,those players he replaced at halftime were fresher than those who played that game except for Tiwani.You can’t replace Rayners and leave Shalulile who was doing nothing and aiding chiefs to defend by constantly been offside.I might be wrong but from what I’ve noticed our players are not treated equally,i saw Rayners after Bvuma saved his shot raising his hand and saying sorry looking at the bench as if he committed a criminal offence when he did his best and Bvuma just did his job and keep Shaullile so that he can score goal number 129 ,i’m sure he was replaced for that,hence i’m say treatment to the players is not the same others are allowed to make mistakes and others not because Allende made lot of dangerous mistakes and was also tired and never replaced.Our coach has his own players and others are just like spare wheels hence he wants to trim the team. I said it many times this thing of building from the back is useless and time wasting,even the 2nd we conceded it because we want to play smart at the back.Now we are regressing at a very fast pace,we are no longer scoring more than one goal per game,development players who made a significant progress are no where to be see,many good players are frozen out in the stands and he trust only 11 players. Mark words and watch the space i think we have hired a dictator and an oppressor.He also lacks respect to other teams,you can’t say chiefs were dead when they had more shots on target and scored more goals than you team.
One thing I do not understand is … are the South American players have a ” must Play ” clause in their contracts becoz for some reason they are always playing … the team was playing very well under Manqoba and winning by bigger margins and playing attacking football .. and now the team looks very defensive trying to defend 1 goal … which is always very dangerous .. the coach has sidelined players who were doing well Mkhulise, Letlhaku, Maema, Khoza and others who were regulars and doing very well for the team and now we look like a very defensive team scoring one goal and then resort to defending .. this is not the Sundwons we know and want … sometimes the management needs to take the blame … why did they destroy a technical team of Rhulani, Manqoba and Wendell which was doing so well except for bringing a second star … Rhulani had pleaded for 2 more years to bring the star and was not far from it the glimpses of what he could do was seen when we won the AFL .. and what we are exposed to now is a technical director and coach who are slowly destroying the Sundowns of shoe shine and piano … so far he is failing to emulate Rhulani who only had 1 loss in 30 games we already on 3 losses with games to go … something must give otherwise the team’s soul is being eroded
Cardoso this lose directly created by u from the bench 2 the substitution part of it.The nerve 2 praise the 2nd half by u Miguel,I don’t know which drugs u were on 2 say we had a better performance.With absolutely no short at all on target.My recommendations now is 2 fire Fleming Berg,really?Importing mediocrity fron South America,Sales,Suarez,&other thing is Ribeiro who finishes the game being disposessed every moment is given the ball.The question is,is it the end of an era for Sundowns.Catdoso is starting 2 annoy me with his predictable selection why is he not selecting Zwane&Mvala bcoz r fully recovered.So in club world cup we wll b adding numbers?If it wasn’t mayb the league Sundowns again was going 2 come empty ended.Khoza can do better than this rubbish by Suarez,Litlaku,Mathews can do better than Sales.This thing of buying stupid expensive Latin American flops leaves a lot 2 b desired&coach just field them bcoz r speaking his language is another cheap decision by management.I can’t believe yesterday we lost 2 the most useless&mediocre team in the league,the whole game we had 2 short on target &this useless ball possession.
In all Manqoba was sabotaged by management 2 b subjected 2 this kind of coaching.Agaist Al Ahly we wll b told we had ball possession with no shot at goal.Pirates play better football with 100%local players bt we hav useless imports that play rubbish.Local players r reserving their energy and 5 star performance 4 the national team we r deliberately being direspected here.The powers that b must know that Sundowns can b coached only by a local guy bcoz I’m seing us going back 2 the era of Neeskens,Stoichtkov &others.Last year in Nedbank final we scored against Pirates then we conceded 2 goals in the 2nd half,same story against Magesi&it happened last night then come final whistle every Sundowns player act as if surprised management,Fleming Berg,Cardoso &your players start respecting us.
Hardy Masandawana, I respect what members are saying and am not disputing it, however my view is that the team is playing well under Cardoso with good defensive organisation and balance and with this defensive approach, we will succeed in caf champions league.The only problem with Coach is the line-up, e.g how do you continue to field the error-prone Suarez and play Sales ahead of Mattews, Maema? Even Modiba plays well up there when the left wing position is occupied by Lunga or Tiwani.The game against chiefs was spoiled by the two mistakes ,one by Suarez and the other by Tiwani, instead of clearing the ball with a long header he decided to make it short just in front if himself ,the rest is history.Players must just do the basics , to clear the ball and not make short passes at the back when it is not necesary.Tebza, Allende, Rebeiro, for me, they played well and according to instructions and keeping the shape, the only problem in that match is the mistakes we made and perhaps the substition of Rayners and Aubaas.Against Al Ahly the coach just field Mathews instead of Sales and play Mvala instead of Suarez otherwise the rest of his starting line up against chiefs is fine.Against Al Ahly we need to ensure that they do not score and we also need to score against them, so we need a balance of defensive and attacking players, who will be quick on counter attacks.To Rayners ,taking a short at goals is what we need from a striker in that area , there was no need to apologise at all.
I don’t agree with you at all member, butI respect your opinions. We only had 2 shots on goal yesterday, the one was a goal and the other was the one saved by Bvuma. The biggest problem lately is not the strikers, but it’s the fact that our strikers are not getting any service. Our midfielders are forever playing backwards or sideways, it’s only Ribeiro who tries to go forward when in possession.
Sure masandawana im very disappointed with Suarez, he make us lose to pirates because of his mistakes yesterday again against chiefs and refree was man of the match. Please let saurez go
Downs4ever&Dalom I concur with u 100% Cardoso is taging us to agreeing that its right 4 certain individuals 2 hav a room 4 mistake bt others hav 2 b crucified &b substituted immediately.Mvala is training &Cupido is a great defender.Then again where r Sundowns youngsters Cardoso is here 2 destroy our football.Its unjustified 2 lose 2 Chiefs in this manner,otherwise coach u r losing our support.South American players must also b substituted they don’t have the divine right 2 play 4 Sundowns or not b substituted. Our turn over &transition is pathetic 2 say the least we r hurting no-one with this mediocrity
My fellow Sundowners mina I can point out about 3 factors that made Sundowns to loose against Chiefs!! One Suarez was very casual with that pass and it seems he is very prone to making mistakes!! The injury to Lunga didn’t help him either!! Lebusa must come in in his position. He is the only left footed Centre Back that we have in the team besides Suarez unless if we can push another right footed CB to that position. Two, that front three of Ribero/ Shalulile/Rayners was not functional at all!! Rayners and Shalulile must fight for one position, that is, number 9. The other position of the front 3 must go to Matthews/Kodisang/Maseko/Letlhaku/Esquivel etc. That will help to lessen the pressure of creativity on the the shoulders of Ribero!! Three, I thought Aubaas was shaky infront of that back four!! He could have easily done the Suarez blunder if you check the way he was passing and controlling the ball!! The middle field of Mokoena/Allende/Jayden was not supposed to be tampered with!! Final the coach need to bring in other players into the squad, Mkhulise, Maseko, Esquivel, Letlhaku, Matthew’s Maema etc!! Rayners is not in form!! He missed chances yesterday!!
It is a pity that we don’t have powers to change things. SUNDOWNS MANAGEMENT must swallow their pride and bring back Pitso pay exactly what they are paying for Cardoso who is doing nothing. Pitso molded sundowns into the best Team it is now until the management hired foreign coaches who is gradually destroying our beloved team
Playing Ribeiro at left is not working, this is the reason he dropped his form. He should play behind the two strikers as before. Sales and Suarez are the flop signings, they are not bringing value to the club, other local players can do better than them like Lebusa, Letlwaku, Khoza, etc.
It’s now clear that our own locals are being undermined at Sundowns,
starting with Rhulani and Manqoba, Steve is there just to manage us not to make noise but we can see he’s just a puppet there, now these south americans according to Flemmingburg are better than our locals that they start in every game even if they make mistakes like Suarez he is still regarded as better than our own and the forever improving Sales, the only two south americans I respect is Rebeiro and Allende, the rest are no better than our locals.
Coming to our coach, you playing a very coward football which priorities defense over attack that’s why our goal scoring tally is so low under your leadership, it seems that don’t know that the best way to defend is to attack.