Rulani Expresses Disbelief: “I Couldn’t Recognize My Team After We Scored”

Mamelodi Sundowns experienced a setback in their bid for a 15th consecutive league win after being held to a 1-1 draw by Stellenbosch FC on Sunday afternoon.

The Brazilians opened the scoring early in the first half, but failed to capitalise on their chances in the second half and were made to pay when Stellenbosch equalised from the penalty spot late in the game.

Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena expressed his disappointment with the result, saying he could not recognise his team after they opened the scoring

He went on to praise Stellenbosch for their performance, and his own players for their efforts, while also acknowledging the value of the lessons learned from the result.

Mokwena said, “We can’t win them all, we try to win them all but we can’t win them all. After we scored I don’t think I recognised the team, the appetite to get the second and third (goal) was not there. But congratulations to Stellenbosch for putting up a good fight, congratulations to my players for almost a very good performance, congratulations to the youngsters, Siya (Nyanga) made his debut, Ntando (Nkosi), so there’s some positives. And we’ll improve, we always want to improve and get better.”

Mokwena concluded by saying that the result has provided a valuable lesson for his team.

He said, “Yeah, because it’s a lesson. We win so much that we’ve got to get a few uppercuts to learn lessons, that’s important, it’s very important for the way we want to go, what we want to try to achieve. So the lessons must come and sometimes the lessons are a little bit bitter to swallow but we have to get them, it’s how life is, it’s ups and downs and you try to keep with the ups. But when you get the downs you must also get the downs very quickly and take it with the lesson and move, so I’m in that space where I appreciate the lesson that came with the equaliser.”