Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi insists he is not panicking after the team’s MTN8 exit at the hands of Stellenbosch FC.
Sundowns lost 1-0 to Stellies in the semi-final second-leg and 2-0 on aggregate after a second-half goal by Lehlohonolo Mojela.
Although Masandawana had a good reaction in the closing stages, as they came close to getting on the scoresheet, Mngqithi admitted the Western Cape were probably more hungry than them.
“We had moments where we were in the last line. [Khuliso] Mudau was a bit unlucky on two occasions, I think second-half we came back stronger.
“We never really created clear chances, credit must be given to them, I think they played really well,” Mngqithi said on SuperSport.
“They were a bit hungry, probably more than us. But the truth is we came back stronger in the closing stages of the game and worse when we had taken off some key players and that’s when the team looked stronger.
“To be honest their low block helped them and I don’t think they were as clinical. I think our rest defence was much better today.
“But I don’t think we were incisive enough in our decision-making and technically, probably we didn’t give really give much in the final third.
“But I still believe the performance was better than the performance of Wednesday,” Mngqithi said.
After back-to-back losses, the 53-year-old insisted that he is not panicking yet but was unhappy his charges are yet to click.
“I’m not panicking but what makes me unhappy is that the team that we have been preparing throughout the season and a team that has done very well throughout, at this stage is not really clicking to the level one expected and it’s unfortunate but it’s the truth,” Mngqithi went on.
“We’re struggling with most of our key players but I think the players we brought late did very well, it was unfortunate we didn’t create anything clear out of that.”
