Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi reflected on his team’s first league defeat, insisting they did not underestimate Polokwane City despite the loss.
Sundowns’ unbeaten run in the Betway Premiership came to an end as a late goal by City defender Bulelani Nikani sealed a 1-0 victory for Polokwane on Sunday.
Mngqithi admitted his side struggled to find their rhythm, particularly in the first half. “Our first-half was horrible; we were just nowhere,” he told reporters.
“We got into the final third several times, but we couldn’t play any effective combinations. Better decisions from players like Tash (Tashreeq Matthews) and Iqraam (Rayners) could have changed things, but we didn’t capitalize on those chances.”
Reflecting on the match, Mngqithi compared it to their previous encounter with Royal AM, where Sundowns also struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
“It’s a similar scenario; we reached the final third, but it just didn’t yield anything. When Tiwani (Asekho Tiwani) passed to Iqraam, you’d expect him to finish, but it just wasn’t our day.”
Acknowledging Polokwane City’s resilience, he added, “Credit to the opponents; they fought hard and were strong on set-pieces. We knew they’d challenge us, and that’s why we tried to match their aerial strength.
“We didn’t take them lightly, but sometimes, despite having our best players, things don’t go your way.”
This defeat left Sundowns reassessing their approach as they look to bounce back in their next fixture against Cape Town City on 30 October at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.