I’m paid to find solutions: Mokwena after Sundowns’ third straight draw

Rulani Mokwena is not worried about Mamelodi Sundowns' lack of goals in their last three DStv Premiership matches where his team drew against Cape Town City, Swallows FC and Lamontville Golden Arrows soon after being confirmed champions.

Arrows held Sundowns to 1-1 draw at the Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, Durban, on Wednesday night, after 0-0 stalemates in their previous two games. Mokwena said he would be worried about a lack of goals in three games if his team were not the top scorers in the league with 46 goals in 26 matches. 

“It's a team that has scored a lot of goals and they've given me no reason to doubt them, so we keep going,” Mokwena said. 

“We had six big chances in total [against Arrows] and we only had one big chance in the first half. So there was big improvement in the second half, a [part of the] personality of the team that I like.”

Mokwena again insisted, as he had after the games against City and Swallows, that it was not a matter of his team lacking intensity or playing to finish their matches after sealing a record sixth successive league title two weekends ago.

The coach, though, also could not put his finger on what the problem was for his team in their last three matches, as they prepare to face Stellenbosch FC in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Athlone Stadium on Saturday (6pm).

“I wish I knew, because really we're not playing for wins. But I'm paid to find solutions.

“I have to find the solutions as to how we can turn things around. We have to win, and on Saturday [given it's a cup game] we [really] have to win.”

“We played against a good team [against Arrows] and I thought we were braver and more aggressive in the second half. It's a personality and performance I like in the second half.

“But we can't concede first against these teams because then they play a bit deeper and then it's harder to break them down.”

Mokwena was relieved Sundowns no longer have to break one particular record in their remaining four league matches. When they won the league with 59 points Sundowns stood a chance to finish on 80 points if they won their last seven games, meaning they could have broken or equalled the 75-point record for the old 18-team Premier Soccer League.

Having dropped six points in their last three matches, Downs (62 points) can only finish on a maximum of 74 points if they win their last four games. The 71-point record for the 16-team PSL, set by Pitso Mosimane's Sundowns in 2015-16, remains in reach. 

“The good thing is that we're not chasing that [18-team record], so it doesn't suffocate us. We keep going and trying to win the next match,” Mokwena said.

The coach said he was impressed with the players he introduced in the second half.

“I'm proud of the kids, proud of Siyabonga Mabena and [scorer] Sipho Mbule, who did very well. I'm proud of Lebohang [Maboe] too, and of Terrence Mashego, he fought.”

The coach said Bongani Zungu, who had to leave the field after being elbowed by Arrows-loaned player Divine Lunga in the first half, has “a deep cut just underneath the eye — it's little swollen but it's OK”.