Five things learned from Sundowns’ loss to CT City

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Sphelele Mkhulise and Mosa Lebusa made their debuts as a new look Mamelodi Sundowns outfit crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City in the MTN 8 first leg semi-final, writes MARSHALL GOUTS.

1) Sundowns displayed their depth and quality

Pitso Mosimane utilised his side’s depth and quality as he made a whopping nine changes to the side that played to a goalless draw with Highlands Park.

Masandawana changed almost their entire personnel which could be highlighted as a cause for their loss. Goalscorer and man-of-the-match Taariq Fielies admits that City were taken back by Sundowns’ decision to field an entire new team.

Out:                       In:

Denis Onyango – Kennedy Mweene
Tebogo Langerman – Lyle Lakay
Ricardo Nascimento – Mosa Lebusa
Wayne Arendse – Motjeka Madisha
Hlompho Kekana – Lucky Mohomi
Sibusisio Vilakazi – Sphelele Mkhulise
Themba Zwane – Lebogang Maboe
Gaston Sirino – Toni Silva
Jeremy Brockie – Anthony Laffor

2) Heated midfield battle

Not only was it a fierce contest pitting some of South Africa’s best players against one another, but it proved to be a fierce tactical battle with Benni McCarthy and Mosimane doing everything to outwit one another.

The fiercest battle on the pitch was definitely in the engine room where Sundowns trio Mkhulise, Lebogang Maboe and Mohomi came up against more senior opposition in Roland Putsche, Teko Modise and Thabo Nodada.

In the end, City’s experience and ability to keep it compact saw it through for them.

3) Sundowns’ front three

The attacking trio consisting of Jose Ali Meza, Silva and Laffor gave City endless troubles with their endless pace and strength, however, they failed to translate their dangerous moments into goals, with their final ball into the area often proving to be their downfall.

Fans of Masandawana should not be deterred by the loss especially given their front three’s showing. In Meza and Silva, Sundowns have new go-to-guys in attack, which brings about a different dimension to their game. When fully-fit and on-song, Sundowns are bound to see the strengths of Meza and Silva in full flight.

4) Cape Town City’s defensive solidity

Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles. These were the words of former Manchester United legendary mentor Sir Alex Ferguson and it’s been the recipe for McCarthy’s early success thus far.

City named an unchanged back-four from the side that drew 0-0 against Golden Arrows in their midweek league clash.

Goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenberg is yet to concede a goal in his four matches played across all competitions and it is largely due to the strong central-defensive partnerships of Fielies and Kouassi Kouadja or Fielies and Keanu Cupido.

Kwanda Mngonyama replaced Kouadja in the second half and the change proved seamless. On the occasion that either one of the centre-backs were beaten, the other one covered excellently and in the rare case that both centre-backs were beaten to the ball, the goalkeeper came to the rescue.

Much like in their quarter-final clash against Maritzburg United, the Citizens broke the deadlock through a set-piece which was turned home by a centre-back (Fielies’ second goal since his arrival at the club).

5) Debutants Galore

Mkhulise, Lebusa and Silva all made their debuts for Sundowns, while young Shaquille Abrahams made his first appearance for the Citizens, coming on late for Ayanda Patosi.

The Sundowns trio had the most lively debuts, with Mkhulise coming agonisingly close to breaking his deadlock after his shot cannoned off the crossbar with the City goalkeeper well-beaten.

Although Lebusa lasted the entire 90 minutes in his first official appearance for the club, his momentary lapse of concentration saw City score the only goal of the game when he failed to track Fielies.

Former Chelsea and Liverpool youth development player Silva looked lively in spells but his influence gradually faded out as the game went on.

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Marshall Gouts