Sundowns coach Mngqithi backs misfiring Shalulile

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has thrown his support behind under-pressure striker Peter Shalulile who is firing blanks. 

The Namibian captain has not found the back of the net after six starts in all competitions this season and has come under scrutiny from the hard-to-please club supporters.

Speaking after Sundowns beat Eswatini minnows Mbabane Swallows 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League final preliminary clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, Mngqithi said everyone at the club must rally behind Shalulile because he is going to be important for them going forward. 

“To answer you on Peter, I was impressed with the effort he put into the game and that is the reason we will always support him, no matter what, because he never lacks giving the team everything he has,” said Mngqithi as the Brazilians advanced to the Champions League group stages for the 10th season in succession with a dominant 8-0 aggregate win. 

“When he is not scoring, it is the time for us as the technical team and the whole club to support him. He is still going to be important for us this season. 

“The reason we also decided to play him in the second leg was to try to give him the confidence so that he could bury one goal. We know that once he has scored the one goal, this thing will open up again and his confidence will be back. 

“But there were a lot of positive things in his game and he was just unfortunate not to score.” 

Mngqithi made wholesale changes to the team that beat SuperSport United 2-0 in their Premiership opener on Tuesday at Loftus with only Shalulile keeping his place in the starting line-up. 

Players like Malibongwe Khoza, Rushine de Reuck, Bathusi Aubaas, Sphelele Mkhulise, Zuko Mdunyelwa, Erwin Saavedra, Thembinkosi Lorch and Kobamelo Kodisang got opportunities. 

“I thought the players who played the first leg might not want to work as hard going into this match, so it was important that we bring in new faces.

“Maybe try to match what the other team had done, I have seen this many times where you have had a good game in the first leg and you continue with the same group but there is a bit of complacency or sluggishness. 

“Also it was to try to give opportunities to all these players because if we are saying we signed them to help the team in all these competitions, it was important we give them an opportunity to feel part of the group.”