Mamelodi Sundowns find themselves in a formidable struggle
Following their narrow victory against second-tier side University of Pretoria (AmaTuks) in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final, coach Rulani Mokwena expressed a desire for their next match to be rescheduled.
AmaTuks held Sundowns to a 1-all draw after extra time, pushing the game to a tense penalty shoot-out where Sundowns narrowly clinched a 4-3 win thanks to goalkeeper Ronwen Williams’ heroic saves.
Mokwena, visibly fatigued after a series of intense matches against Cape Town Spurs, Young Africans, and Richards Bay within 10 days, admitted that rescheduling would have been preferable. The team’s schedule for last month mirrored this intensity, with a match every four days.
Their upcoming fixture against Swallows in the Premiership, initially set for Tuesday, was moved forward to tonight at Dobsonville after Sundowns’ successful appeal due to their upcoming match in Tunisia against Esperance de Tunis in the CAF Champions League semi-final on Saturday.
Sundowns’ recent struggles against lower-ranked teams in the Premiership and goalless draws in successive Champions League matches have drawn significant scrutiny. The inability to secure a regulation-time victory against a lower-division opponent added to the mounting pressure.
Despite criticisms and fatigue, Mokwena emphasized the human aspect of the team, acknowledging the toll that continuous matches take on players and staff alike.
“I am not a robot,” Mokwena stated emphatically. “We are human beings with emotions, fatigue, and challenges to manage. At this stage, we persevere, recognizing that the outside world may not fully comprehend the rigors we face.”
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