Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi says his side were “wasteful and lethargic” as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to city rivals SuperSport United in the Tshwane derby at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday.
Sundowns, who had defeated SuperSport 2-0 in the MTN8 quarter final last weekend, were disjointed and did not impose their usual game to unsettle the home side.
It was Sundowns’ second league defeat of the season, having previously lost to TS Galaxy.
To see Sundowns lose two matches in six matches under the trio of coaches – Rulani Mokwena, Mngqithi and Steve Komphela, is unheard of, looking at their record in the last two seasons in charge of the club.
“I just think we were very wasteful today,” Mngqithi told SuperSport TV after the game.
“We created far more chances than what we created in the previous match [MTN8 win over SuperSport], but we were just not clinical enough. We were very lethargic defensively, allowing crosses to come to the boxes and we did not take care of people on the far side.
“We knew every time they break out, they go through the channels and normally we will have someone to put pressure immediately on the ball but if you are still allowing crosses, then you know the opposite side is open. And our centre-backs did not pick up very well.
“Truth be told, I think we were just too wasteful and it is not because we were below par.”
For both goals, Mngqithi laid it bare that it was poor defending from his side.
“What I will not accept is how we defended in both moments they punished us,” Mgqithi added.
“In the critical phase in the dying stages of the first half, I think Thapelo Morena could have done better on the far side just to clear the ball quicker or to even look to play from there.
“And the first goal we were lethargic in allowing the cross to come into the box and also not picking up numbers into the box, but that’s football.”
