JOHANNESBURG - Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach Pitso Mosimane has admitted that since the restart of the domestic season his charges “have been struggling” to get their rhythm back, hence their underwhelming run of form.
On Monday, the Brazilians yet again stumbled in their pursuit of log leaders Kaizer Chiefs. They remain six points adrift of Amakhosi after going down 3-2 to Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
This was the Sundowns’ third successive disappointment in the league since the restart, adding to their underwhelming draws with Orlando Pirates (0-0) and Highlands Park (1-1) respectively.
Out of nine points, the Brazilians have only bagged two, handing over the advantage Chiefs, who’ve played the same number of games (24) in the league. Mosimane addressed the elephant in the room, saying that they’ve been far from their best.
“We are struggling. But we are a team that struggles with a fight. If we were doing very well, we should be winning but we are not. We drew two matches and lost one,” Mosimane said.
“We are struggling. It is a fact that we can’t hide. After we came back, Sundowns haven’t been the same. And that is a fact.”
Granted that Sundowns’ chances of claiming their third successive league title, which would have been Mosimane’s fifth at the club and Sundowns’ 10th in the Premiership, are hanging by a thread but the 56-year-old says they’ll fight until the end.
Meanwhile, Mosimane’s counterpart Jan Olde Riekerink was all smiles after his team’s victory as it took them as high up as seventh on the log standings after languishing in the bottom half for the better part of the season.
City’s win was inspired by a brace from Surprise Ralani and solitary goal from Kermit Erasmus, while Sundowns got their consolation goals from an own goal by Edmilson Dove and substitute Keletso Makgalwa.
Ralani’s second strike, though, was of class, winning a duel against Sundowns defender Wayne Arendse, before lobbing a deft chip over Denis Onyango, as City restored their two-goal cushion to all but put the game beyond reach for the champions.
“The second goal was something that I do in training most of the time,” Ralani said in his post-match interview with SuperSport.
“I’m just glad that today I could pull it off on the field. But overall, it was a teamwork from the guys.”
@Mihlalibaleka