High-fives all around at super Sundowns
MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena has said that the key to his side dominating South African football has been their consistency.
The Brazilians secured their fifth consecutive Premiership title with a goalless draw against Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Wednesday night.
Downs were not even given much of a challenge en route to the title once again, as their nearest rivals Royal AM were 13 points behind when they officially claimed the title.
“We’ve spoken a lot about trying to improve what we have done last season, which we have done very well. We had a better season than what we had last season,” said Mokwena.
Having already won the MTN8 earlier in the season and now the league, Sundowns still have a chance to get one step closer to claiming the treble as they travel to the Chatsworth Stadium tomorrow to play against Royal AM in their Nedbank Cup semi-final clash (7pm kick-off).
It’s evident that they are significantly better than any other professional team in South Africa, but their season may not be deemed a total success as they were eliminated from the CAF Champions League last weekend, following a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Petro de Luanda in the quarter-finals.
They have dominated South African football for the better part of the last decade, but have only won the Champions League once in that time - in 2016.
“We would have liked to do better in the CAF Champions League, but to amass the number of points we have with four games to go and the MTN8 trophy, which is something that eluded us, was great,” Mokwena said.
“We have to go again for the Nedbank Cup and try to focus on that. The players have been incredible, the club has been extremely supportive, and we can only build from here. Huge kudos and many congratulations to this magnificent football club.”
Mokwena also paid tribute to the fans and the technical team for sticking by the club through thick and thin.
“Congratulations to the Masandawana family and the supporters. It’s good to wrap up the title with them together with us. Congratulations to the technical team.
“It’s been a very difficult season but we grafted and put in the hours. Congratulations to the entire management, the Motsepe family, the chairman, president, board and everybody involved,” said Mokwena.
One of the stand-out players for Downs this season was striker Peter Shalulile.
The Namibian currently has 21 league goals, and has become the first player to break the 20-goal barrier since Siyabonga Nomvethe did it a decade ago.