Downs coach reached final with Esperance last year

Shalulile banks on Cardoso's CAF experience

Striker credits scoring form to hard work

Neville Khoza Sports Journalist
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile has credited his recent scoring form to the amount of hard work he has been doing at training.

The Namibian international looks to have rediscovered his form after coming off the bench to score in Sundowns' 2-1 win over Maniema Union in their CAF Champions League Group B, before forcing an own goal in the same match.

Shalulile was also on target when he helped Sundowns qualify for the quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive time on Sunday following their 1-1 draw with AS FAR in their last match of the group at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday.

β€œIt's all about hard work, making sure that we are one and understanding what the coach [Miguel Cardoso] wants from us. We do what the coach wants us to do, that's why you can see that we are ticking and finding our feet now,” Shalulile told the media after the match.

With Sundowns finishing second in their group behind AS FAR, this means they will draw teams who finish first in other groups. The 31-year-old, however, is not concerned about that.

β€œYou should take what you are given, every year is different. This time, we ended second but we will take it and we will move on and see what we can do now that we are done with the group stages,” he said.

The striker is also banking on Cardoso's experience, after he reached the final last year with Esperance before losing to Al Ahly, to help them go all the way.

β€œHe has been there, he knows exactly what is required at every level. So, with him coming in has helped us [learn] how they do it in the West [Africa], how they play, and he is bringing that into our game and it is paying off.

β€œChange is good but not that much. It is something that comes which is different when you start the bus. It does not run that well but it takes time to tick.

β€œAs you can see we have found our feet, we know how to move and where and what the coach wants from us. It is exactly what we are giving to him.”

Sundowns have now shifted their focus to the Betway Premiership match against Magesi at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium tomorrow at 7.30pm.

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