Sundowns news | Leopards make Mngqithi swallow Shalulile comments

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi was forced to swallow his pre-match comments that his team would cope without Peter Shalulile against Black Leopards.

Prior to the match, Mngqithi said Sundowns wouldn’t struggle without both Shalulile and Kermit Erasmus, and he sang a different tune after the match.

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The Namibia international missed the encounter in Tshwane through suspension, and Sundowns looked blunt and lethargic in front of goal as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

And Mngqithi admits the Brazilians missed Shalulile who is the club’s leading goalscorer with 14 goals across competitions thus far.

Furthermore, Mngqithi questioned Shalulile’s suspension, saying his striker wasn’t supposed to have been suspended in the first place.

“It’s a big loss. It’s more when you look at why he was suspended because at times these are suspensions you get. I also had one this season. But I know I didn’t do anything,” Mngqithi told the media.

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“When you look at Shalulile as well, I also know he was fouled then when you get founded and you get suspended, it’s always something else.

“Maybe it’s better it happened then because I was worried at that time it happened, it looked like he might get the second [yellow] which might take him out of the important matches that are coming.”

“It’s a big loss because he is very important. He scores in every match he plays, but we trust the team we have,” he said.   

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Mngqithi further revealed that both Mauricio Affonso and Sibusiso Vilakazi are back in contention after being sidelined for months due to injuries.  

“I Vila (Sibusiso Vilakazi) is back, (Mauricio) Affonso is back and (Keletso) Makgalwa is also there,” concluded Mngqithi.