FILE - Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi, left, isn’t a happy man after his team lost to Polokwane City on Sunday. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Media
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi bemoaned his team’s lack of cutting edge on attack after Sunday’s shock Betway Premiership defeat at the hands of Polokwane City.
Sundowns were completely outplayed by their hosts, especially in the first half. It was also Polokwane’s first win over Sundowns since January 2018.
Polokwane City captain Bulelani Nikani scored the only goal of the match in the 82nd minute after a Cole Alexander free-kick.
“The first half was horrible,” Mngqithi told SuperSport TV after the match. “Let’s be honest, our first-half we were just nowhere.
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“In the final third we could not make any combinations. We did get into the final third several times where maybe a better decision from Tash [Tashreeq Matthews], a better decision from Iqraam [Rayners].
“Those moments when you don’t translate them into chances, which is almost the same thing that happened in midweek.
Mngqithi said they didn’t go into the match underestimating their opponents, and the Sundowns coach praised Rise and Shine for their fight during the match.
“On the day, it was just not to be, and we must congratulate the opponents. They fought, they were strong, and we always knew their strength on set-pieces which is why we tried to load ourselves with aerially strong players to be able to deal with that,” Mngqithi added.
“But I think we caught up in a game where not many things were going right for us. We had almost all our best players on the day but unfortunately the result was not to be.
“We knew it was not going to be easy. We never took it for granted because we know they are a team that always gives us a lot of trouble but unfortunately on the day it was just not to be.”
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