Richards Bay coach: Sundowns play felt like watching PlayStation
Richards Bay co-head coach Vasili Manousakis says Mamelodi Sundowns played with ease against his team in a manner that felt like watching PlayStation on Friday.
Vasili Manousakis said this in a post-match interview with SuperSport TV after Sundowns turned on the heat to beat Richards Bay 2-0.
Vasili Manousakis felt the Brazilians were too good and irresistible in the opening half of the DStv Premiership match at King Zwelithini Stadium.
“I think in the first half, to be completely honest, I felt like we were watching PlayStation,” Vasili Manousakis said.
‘AT SOME STAGE, SUNDOWNS WERE UNBELIEVABLE’
“At some stage, Sundowns were unbelievable. The way they overload the central areas, the quick combination play, the speed of the play and the way they pin you back.
“We didn’t help ourselves either; we were far too narrow, and it is something that we corrected at half-time,” Vasili Manousakis added.
WHAT RICHARDS BAY CHANGED AT HALF-TIME
The Richards Bay coach explained what they changed tactically to limit the damage.
“We said to ourselves at half-time: ‘let’s have a go.’ Rather go down fighting playing the way we like to play and the way we enjoy playing and make a goal in the second half,” he said.
Manousakis felt Richards Bay paid the price for making unforced individual errors.
“The first goal, we have possession, and we lose possession of the ball cheaply, and there is no pressure on the midfielder…cheap goal,” he said.
The coach also felt goalkeeper Salim Jamal Magoola was at fault for the second goal.
Manousakis said there was no shame in losing 2-0 to the unstoppable Sundowns.
“I am proud of these Richards Bay boys. They are unbelievable to do what we ask them to do. If we got five today playing the way we were playing, I’d still be proud of the boys,” he said.
“We have lost to the best team in the league. It is no surprise that they are running away with it. Third loss out of 15 games is not the worst record in the world.”
HOW MAILULA AND DOMINGO HANDED SUNDOWNS THE WIN
Cassius Mailula and Haashim Domingo scored in either half to hand the rookies their first defeat in nine league games.
Mailula chipped the ball past the otherwise reliable Natal Rich Boys’ goalkeeper Magoola in the 11th minute.
Until that moment, the rookies had held their own to repeal the attacks of the log leaders.
The Ugandan goalkeeper had proved to be the stumbling block for Sundowns.
He was, however, beaten by a well-taken shot after he had moved off his line.
The defending champions added the second goal in the 66th minute.
Domingo finished off a rebound after Magoola’s initial save of a hard-and-low shot.
Magoola was at fault for the second goal, as it originated from his misplaced ball distribution, which Sundowns profited from.
Downs are now 10 points clear at the summit of the log table. Richards Bay lie third, 11 points behind the leaders.
RELATED STORY: Why Richards Bay’s Siyanda Msani didn’t play against Sundowns