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Sundowns back Shalulile in his quest for a record-breaking season
'For him to go as far as even just matching that record would be good,' said Sundowns co-head coach Manqoba Mngqithi.
Peter Shalulile celebrates his goal this week against Sekhukhune. He now needs four more in three games to break the PSL scoring record. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix.
All that Peter Shalulile needs now is to score four goals in the last three DStv Premiership matches to have his name engraved in the record books of the Premier Soccer League.
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Shalulile is chasing Collins Mbesuma’s record of 25 league goals in a single season. The red-hot Mamelodi Sundowns striker got his 22nd goal in a 2-0 win against Sekhukhune United at Ellis Park on Tuesday night.
While all eyes are on Shalulile, his coach, Manqoba Mngqithi insists that the Namibian striker is not putting himself under any pressure to beat Mbesuma’s record, which has stood for 17 years. Downs have already secured the title, and Shalulile is unchallenged in the race for the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot. His closest rival, Royal AM’s Victor Letsoalo, is sitting on 14 goals.
“He is not the kind of player where you need to make extra effort to get him in a good space. He is one very focused professional and I don’t think it is something that rings much in his head when it comes to surpassing Mbesuma’s record. Peter just wants to play football and he is very committed to his work,” said Mngqithi.
“When he is this close, you wish as a coach that he can achieve this ultimate target because he has done so well thus far. When was the last time we had a player who scores more than 20 goals in the league? For him to go as far as even just matching that record would be good because he has really served us well as Sundowns and we are proud of him,” he added.
The Masandawana mentor went on to laud his side for not dropping the ball even after securing a fifth title on the spin, and he insists that the Brazilians will maintain the same aggression until the final whistle of the season.
“If we don’t do very well in the last three games we will have to account for it next season so it is very important that we still continue to try and achieve the number of points that we have set out to achieve in this cycle.
“We also have the responsibility to use these matches as preparation for the Nedbank Cup final, maybe to see people who are raising their hands to be a part of the final,” said Mngqithi.
