Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has shown admiration for the club’s new signings Arthur Sales and Kobamelo Kodisang heading towards the start of the new season.
The Brazilian attacker joined the Pretoria-based outfits from Belgian club Lommel on a long-term deal and is expected to join forces with his fellow countryman Lucas Ribeiro Costa to provide goals for the defending league champions.
Mngqithi praised the 22-year-old striker’s first touch comparing it to that of the club’s legend Surprise Moriri.
“Sales the striker, he has something, many people say he’s very tall, I don’t think he’s very tall, he’s a bit skinny, 1.84m, it might deceive defenders because he has a very good leap but what I like the most about him is his first touch, he has a very good first touch, Mngqithi describing Sales.
“A Surprise first touch, I think it’s good and an eye for a goal but more than anything else, he’s intelligent, he sees things early and he gets into painful positions at the right time, he’s not there before the ball is played, it makes him dangerous, left-footed but I saw him use his right which is encouraging, but he’s got something,” he said while speaking to Pitchside Podcast.
The 53-year-old tactician commended Kodisang’s ability to play in different positions as well as being able to eliminate defenders in a one-on-one situation. Kodisang was snatched by Sundowns from the Portuguese Primera Liga side Moreirense on a five-year contract.
“I think we brought the right players for the team to be honest, starting with Kodisang. He’s still a little bit unfit, but you can see what the boy is capable of; one v one, he is very good and he had some good finishes as well, he works very hard, a natural winger that is able to play ten in a 4-3-3 formation if you want full-backs to be high and wide,” Mngqithi concluded.
So far, Masandawana have made four new signings including Sales, Kodisang, Aseko Tiwani from Sekhukhune United and SuperSport United’s Kegan Johannes.
They are set to take on Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarterfinal on Sunday at Lucas Moripe Stadium. Sundowns went down to Orlando Pirates on penalties in the final of last year’s edition of the competition.
Coach Manqoba admitted the tough task ahead having faced difficulties in this competition adding that his opponents are a very competitive team.
“Coming to our game against Polokwane City, I think it’s going to be a tough one. It is a big deal for teams like Polokwane City to be in the top 8. That says a lot about our league now. It says there is a lot of competition. A team that had just come from the NFD is now in the PSL and had a very good first round of the season.
“I also believe that their coach is a very good young coach. We have played against him several times, so I know what he is capable of. It’s going to be interesting because this is a competition that has always been difficult for us.
Written by Siphesihle Soni