JOHANNESBURG – Mamelodi Sundowns’ coach Pitso Mosimane is banking on the Brazilians’ experience to take them over the finish line to claim league title No 9 in the PSL era.
Mosimane looked like the cat that got all the cream at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday night after his team, despite playing with 10 men for almost an hour, snatched a point from league leaders Wits.
Sundowns had a bright start with an early goal from Phakamani Mahlambi, but Ricardo Nascimento’s mistake allowed Gift Motupa to get Wits back into the match. The hosts grew in confidence and pinned Sundowns back in the second half.
“I didn’t come for a point,” Mosimane said. “We thought that we would win, and you saw the way we played in the first half before the red card that we were interested and wanted to win. But under the circumstances, 10 versus 11, I will take it. I am not happy with the result, but under the circumstances I will take a point. I was very unhappy with the point against Polokwane City.
“We got a good point. It’s a big point. The situation is still the same as it was before this game. Yes we dropped four points in the last three games, but who is gaining points at the top?”
Mosimane’s confidence stems from the fact that the Brazilians trail Wits by just two points, but they also have two games in hand. One of those games in hand is against Cape Town City who Sundowns host at Loftus on Wednesday. City used to be Sundowns’ bogey team until they broke that spell in the Mother City with a magical moment from Percy Tau and Khama Billiat. The pair have since left, creating room for new heroes to step up to the challenge.
Wayne Arendse of Sundowns fouled Fagrie Lakay of Bidvest Wits and is sent off with a red card on Saturday. Photo: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Even without Tau and Billiat’s magic, Sundowns have enough power and more experience to negotiate their way past their remaining matches.
“We’ve been in this thing for long,” Mosimane said.
“We’ve lost it (the league) twice, came second with only three points behind. We’ve won it three times. It’s going to be hard. The game against Cape Town City is going to be like this one. Wits also have City and (Orlando) Pirates.
We’re all having the same challenges. It’s a race. We shouldn’t be emotional about it. You’ve got to keep calm and be cool because there’s a long way to go. I don’t think that it’s a two-horse race, (Kaizer) Chiefs is popping up and Cape Town City are coming up.
“They believe that they can win it, so we’ll probably cancel each other out along the way.”
Soccer Writer
IOL Sport