Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has quashed suggestions of lacking intensity after two consecutive goalless draws since securing the DStv Premiership title.
Sundowns received two guards of honours since winning the league; against Cape Town City at Loftus in mid-week and Swallows on Sunday at Dobsonville with both games ending in 0-0 draws.
But he remains happy with the efforts displayed of his side as several players like Abubekar Nasir, Bongani Zungu, Gaston Sirino, Tapelo Morena and Abdelmounaim Boutouil received game time in the respective fixtures.
“Very proud of the efforts of the players, the spirit of the squad, the recovering of the players is so nice to see Nasir, Zungu, Gaston, after such a long time on the pitch, AB, Tapelo also,” Mokwena said.
“So we have to play these games and try to make sure the squad is close to each other, so very proud of the players – gallant effort from the opposition.”
With the CAF Champions League and Nedbank Cup to play for, he denied their last two games will have any effect on ‘upping their tempo’ in the upcoming challenges, stating his side did what they needed in both in order to fight for three points.
“These games are very difficult, football you need a lot of conditions to have intensity, you have an opponent that’s an aggressor, and today we played against an opponent that is sitting and holding on to a point at home, you need a good pitch – so that the ball moves a little but and the pitch was dry and bumpy,” Mokwena explained.
“So we were responsible for the tempo and I think we did all that we could, we had so many chances, final third entries, I think we won a lot of duels, and this game was about long balls and second balls.
“We won almost all the duels with aggression, so there will never be a game I will be in charge of at Sundowns where we have no aggression, believe me, no chance.”
