CAPE TOWN - Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi bemoaned star striker Peter Shalulile’s gaping miss in the dour goalless draw with Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Sundowns were tactically out-manoeuvred by Chippa coach Gavin Hunt, who used his vast experience from encountering the champions in previous matches, to stem their massive attacking threat by utilising three centre backs and two wing backs. These shrewd tactics denied Sundowns from getting crosses into the box to regularly feed the likes of Shalulile.
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However, last season’s Player of the Year Shalulile, did have one chance to punish the Chilli Boys when a stray back-pass from Riaan Hanamub fell into his path. Although prolific last season the ace Namibian striker has been guilty of wasting simple chances before, and it came back to haunt Sundowns on Tuesday evening, when Shalulile fluffed the best chance of the match.
“It is definitely two points dropped. We did not apply ourselves the way we expected in this match. We knew that Gavin would be very stubborn and we knew the shape that they would play. We did expect that he would kill the space behind the defence,” a frustrated Mngqithi said.
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“I feel to a certain extent, when they killed the space behind the defence, it also minimised the influence of Peter Shalulile. But had Peter scored the first chance that he had in the game, this game could have turned out a lot differently. To me, that was a very easy chance for him to tap it in. And from there the opponents would have been forced to come out and present a different game to us.”
Chippa were certainly content to allow Sundowns to control the possession stakes, as long as they were not able to create any clear-cut opportunities that threatened their goal. Therefore, Mngqithi believes that a side such as his, with the class and skill that they do possess, should have been more adventurous in their play by putting in a greater attempt to force Chippa out of their comfort zone.
“Our performance was very cautious in the first half, lacking incision, lacking forcing the opponents to face their goals. We would have expected more one-against-one situations, to try and get behind them to put crosses into the box. We did not get that and that for me was very disappointing. In a game like this, you expect your team to put their best foot forward.
“I think we took the caution side of the game, not wanting to lose possession, more than forcing the game, to create even more transitions, and counter-press. At times in football, if you try to force yourself in, opponents that want to counter-attack, they start to open for you, and then you can counter-press immediately and find the openings that you want. But when you are safe, and they're saying you must play in-front of them, and your fullbacks are playing more than 10 back passes, it is not going to help you in one-on-one situations. Those were the moments that compromised us. When you play in front of them, no matter how many touches you can have with your No 6, your centre backs, your goalkeeper, it does not help.”
@ZaahierAdams
IOL Sport