Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says they are victims of their own success in response to criticism of three consecutive league draws.
Since wrapping up the DStv Premiership title with seven games to spare, Sundowns have drawn 0-0 with Cape Town City and Swallows – before the mid-week 1-1 draw with Golden Arrows where Sipho Mbule secured the point after Ryan Moon’s first-half opener.
“It’s not always easy to win every single match but we try to win every single match and that is what we have to continue to do, sometimes we are victims of our own successes you know,” Mokwena said in response to their run of form ahead of the Nedbank Cup last-eight clash against Stellenbosch.
“If the criticism of our team is three consecutive defeats, having not scored – or maybe scoring one goal in three games, and my question is, who has won more games than us this season? Who scored more goals than us this season?
“So where is the doubt and questions about not being able to score goals come from? It’s very difficult, it’s football.”
Mokwena went on to deny that his squad of players have been demotivated or waiting for matches of consequences as he previously stated no team under his guidance would not play with aggression and intensity, he reiterated they’ve been doing all they can to win games.
“There were articles that were written [on Wednesday], until the goal Sipho scored and they had to delete, quickly, quickly, quickly,” Mokwena added.
“So it’s tough, it’s the world we live in, unfortunately, but we try to win games, we try to do our best and try again [to win]. Really, let’s watch with soberness of eyes, if you watch Sundowns do you really wanna tell me the players aren’t trying to win matches?
“I saw a stat saying Sundowns has only been able to comeback from behind and win a football match, twice in the last 13 years. Someone sent me that stat – this is the first time we actually went behind this season.
“That was such an important test to overcome and it wasn’t easy, Golden Arrows are very good, with good players in a rich vein of form and we had to fight and overcome the result.”
“The road to success is not paved in glitz and glam, it’s not smooth sailing, there’s turbulence and we have to be grateful to God because for others the turbulences are vert very difficult and for us the turbulences are three draws in a row.
“So we have to appreciate the fact, even while football dished out lessons and tests, it still doesn’t affect us that much, we just have to keep going and try and be stronger and stronger.”
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Masandawana travel to Athlone Stadium this weekend where they face an unpredictable Stellenbosch side at 18h00.
