Mokwena hails Sundowns as chase for quadruple continues
Sundowns are still in the hunt for the DStv Premiership, Nedbank Cup and Caf Champions League.
Rhulani Mokwena, head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns reacts during the 2024 Nedbank Cup Last 8 match against University of Pretoria at Lucas Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Friday. (Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix)
Despite the fact that fatigue is starting to creep in, Mamelodi Sundowns continue to steam ahead in their quest for a quadruple this season.
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Having already won the African Football League, Sundowns are still in the hunt for the DStv Premiership, Nedbank Cup and Caf Champions League.
The Brazilians laboured to a 4-3 win on penalties against AmaTuks on Friday. Extra-time couldn’t separate the two teams either after the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Masandawana play Moroka Swallows in a league match on Monday before travelling to Tunisia for a clash against Esperance in the first leg of the champions league semifinal five days later.
Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is not certain if he will field his best XI against the Dube Birds at Dobsonville Stadium as he has one eye on the trip to North Africa.
“Let me not give too much away but this team needs to spend time on the pitch together,” he said.
“We have to build chemistry, fluidity and cohesion. The only way we can do that is on the pitch. I want them to play more together and I’m not sure what we will do on Monday but we have to take it one day at a time.
“At the moment they must be exhausted because I am also exhausted and I think the most important thing now is recovery. The last session I only had 10 minutes with them on the pitch and the rest of the time they were in the massage room.”
Mokwena has also heaped praise on his team’s desire to keep going on both the continent and domestic front ahead of what is expected to be yet another taxing week.
“I like this feeling where I look at their eyes and I can see they want more and they keep pushing,” he added.
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“That for me is a side that we didn’t have before for these types of games. If you think about the (Cape Town) Spurs game, it reminded me so much of the Stellenbosch FC game of last season where we lost and another one where we drew at the same pitch.
“Last season or the season before, we lost these games or drew because we just gave up. Now we have a strong mental fortitude, we support each other and we dig deep so I’m very proud of the players. We just have to recover for Monday against a good team and on a very difficult pitch.”
