Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has hinted at plans to beef up their squad ahead of the new season. With the 2021/222 DStv Premiership season wrapped up and Sundowns being crowned champions, Mgnqithi and his team have already set their sights on the new season.
In their 1-1 draw against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday at the FNB Stadium, Sundowns had to field a makeshift defence, with left-back Divine Lunga filling in at the heart of defence alongside Mosa Lebusa. The defensive trio of Brian Onyango, Rushine De Reuck and Grant Kekana were all ruled out due to injury.
“I believe we need reinforcement; we lost Ricardo Nascimento in the left centre back position, so we only have Musa Lebusa as a left centre back; as it is now, we have three centre backs out injured with Brian [Onyango] Rushine [De Reuck] Grant [Kekana], so we have to use Divine Lunga in the central defence position,” Mngqithi said in a post-match interview.
The former Golden Arrows coach highlighted other positions that may need new faces. Due to injury, Downs have had to do without national team midfielder Rivaldo Coetzee for a lengthy period.
“Early in the season, we lost Rivaldo Coetzee; we might need to reinforce in the central midfield probably with a different physical profile and all other elements that may be important in that space, upfront in as much as we scored a lot of goals, we haven’t scored enough given the chances we have created, we are too reliant on Peter [Shalulile].”
Meanwhile, Mngqithi said they were confident Reyaad Pieterse would save Keagan Dolly’s penalty in the dying minutes of Sunday’s tie. Dolly could have scored the matchwinner from the penalty spot in the 85th minute, but Pieterse saved it.
“I think it was an exciting match for the spectators, maybe short of goals because we didn’t score enough but an exciting football game,” added Mngqithi.
“It was nice for people to know that Reyaad is very good on penalties because we were very confident as a team that he was going to save that penalty,” he added.
“But I feel we also deserved to get one as well so we can see whether [Bruce] Bvuma was going to be able to save that one.”
By Tshepo Rabothe
