Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena feels unfairly judged and treated by the South African media. After losing to Esperance in the CAF Champions League semifinals at Loftus Versfeld, the Soweto-born coach has reminded the public of his achievements at the age of 37.
ESPERANCE DEFEAT MAMELODI SUNDOWNS IN THE CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Esperance substitute Read Bouchniba‘s emphatic finish before the hour mark broke Sundowns hearts. The goal completed a 2-0 aggregate win after a 1-0 win in the semifinal second leg last night. Despite Sundowns’ complete dominance, missed opportunities cost the dream.
Esperance coach Miguel Cardoso described the win as one of the best of his career.
“It was rather difficult to prepare this game, probably the most difficult game I ever played, because Sundowns is an unbelievable team,” Cardoso said via iDiskiTimes.
“To compete in the right way, we had to use a tactical approach that would allow us to close as much as possible the spaces, the individual quality, the tactical variance that we could see on the pitch.
“Yesterday, I had a meeting a 2 o’clock in the afternoon, we almost had no time to practice between the two games, with the sleep and we didn’t know if someone was watching our training, so we didn’t make any big tactical work.
“But we had a couple of meetings scheduled, and we had a meeting at 2 o’clock and I cancelled it. I was not ready to tell the players how we should start the game – I had to sit with some of them and discuss,” Cardoso concluded.
RULANI MOKWENA HEARTBROKEN
Speaking to the media after the game, Sundowns coach Mokwena sent a little message to locals. Mokwena said South Africans easily forget how much he has overachieved at the age of 37.
“One of the things that I think South African football forgets, which South African football only remembers when it suits them, is that 𝗜’𝗺 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟯𝟳 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱,” the Sundowns tactician told the media as quoted by iDiskiTimes editor David Kappel via X.
“And I’m only my first year as head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns. But I’ve been here as a co-coach for three years, and we’ve won how many league titles? We’ve won Nedbank Cup, we’ve won the MTN8, we’ve won a continental trophy. If I look at my tenure, I myself am very proud of my contributions to this football club,” the Sundowns head coach concluded.
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