Themba Zwane has been Mamelodi Sundowns' most reliable penalty-taker, and the DStv Premiership leaders cannot lay the blame for a second defeat of the season against Maritzburg United at their star attacker's door for missing a spot-kick, coach Manqoba Mngqithi says.
Zwane, who barely misses from the spot, saw his 84th-minute penalty saved by Maritzburg goalkeeper Marcel Engelhardt with the score at 1-1 at Harry Stadium on Saturday night. Two minutes into injury time, after Amadou Soukouna went down under the attention of Downs goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, the United striker scored the winner from the spot for a 2-1 victory to the KwaZulu-Natal team.
“I just think he was unfortunate,” Mngqithi said of 32-year-old attacking star Zwane's miss.
“He's been our most reliable penalty-taker and we can't now, because he missed this one, want to blame him for that because I honestly think that would be very unfair to him.
“Because he's one of our most important players, and we gave him the penalty because he's scored a lot of those for us. It's not like we just picked him because he's our favourite.
“So we must forgive and understand that at times in football you score some and you miss some. We can never really blame him for that.”
Alfred Ndengane had headed a 41st-minute equaliser after Peter Shalulile headed Downs ahead in the 37th.
Sundowns meet Motsepe League Mathaithai in the Nedbank Cup last-16 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday (kickoff 6pm).
The Caf Champions League group A leaders face Pitso Mosimane's Cairo giants Al Ahly at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Sundowns coach Mngqithi: 'Unfair' to blame Zwane for missed penalty
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Themba Zwane has been Mamelodi Sundowns' most reliable penalty-taker, and the DStv Premiership leaders cannot lay the blame for a second defeat of the season against Maritzburg United at their star attacker's door for missing a spot-kick, coach Manqoba Mngqithi says.
Zwane, who barely misses from the spot, saw his 84th-minute penalty saved by Maritzburg goalkeeper Marcel Engelhardt with the score at 1-1 at Harry Stadium on Saturday night. Two minutes into injury time, after Amadou Soukouna went down under the attention of Downs goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, the United striker scored the winner from the spot for a 2-1 victory to the KwaZulu-Natal team.
“I just think he was unfortunate,” Mngqithi said of 32-year-old attacking star Zwane's miss.
“He's been our most reliable penalty-taker and we can't now, because he missed this one, want to blame him for that because I honestly think that would be very unfair to him.
“Because he's one of our most important players, and we gave him the penalty because he's scored a lot of those for us. It's not like we just picked him because he's our favourite.
“So we must forgive and understand that at times in football you score some and you miss some. We can never really blame him for that.”
Alfred Ndengane had headed a 41st-minute equaliser after Peter Shalulile headed Downs ahead in the 37th.
Sundowns meet Motsepe League Mathaithai in the Nedbank Cup last-16 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday (kickoff 6pm).
The Caf Champions League group A leaders face Pitso Mosimane's Cairo giants Al Ahly at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
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