Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has been left encouraged by his richly assembled squad's collective effort as they continue to navigate a congested fixture schedule.
Mokwena said this after a much-changed Sundowns side laboured to a last-ditch 1-0 victory over Richards Bay FC in the DStv Premiership at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday.
Junior Mendieta scored deep into additional time as the relegation-threatened Natal Rich Boyz looked set to claim a vital point on the road.
Sundowns are currently involved in three competitions, the Premiership, Nedbank Cup and Caf Champions League which are running concurrently.
Games have been coming thick and fast as Sundowns had limited time to prepare for Tuesday’s meeting after arriving in the country on Sunday morning from Tanzania.
Mokwena named a different starting 11, with all the players who featured against Young Africans in the Champions League being left out of the matchday squad altogether against Richards Bay.
The match saw players such as Lesiba Nku and Neo Maema, who have struggled for game time this season, get some minutes off the bench.
“We need everybody and that’s the message I’ve been saying (to all the players) but they are receiving this message and coming up with good performances. That’s also very good,” Mokwena told the media post-match.
“It was good to see Lesiba, and Neo as I said we need him now in these dying games and these moments.”
After being a regular player in Mokwena’s team last season, Maema has surprisingly fallen off the radar in the current campaign.
Maema featured in 39 matches in all competitions for Sundowns in the previous campaign, and this season he managed 16 across the board and just seven in the league.
“His (Maema’s) attitude is good, his body language is much better and the energy that he gives because that’s very important,” Mokwena said.
“You’ve got to give energy to your teammates and to the coaches too because we are also part of the team. When you give energy and you are coachable, you reciprocate the support that we give you and you make everyone’s job a lot easier.
“So, you show respect not only to the club but to the supporters who know how important everybody is. That’s good to see.”
Mokwena was pleased with the victory and said Richards Bay’s low block was difficult to break down.
“I’m happy with the result. We needed to win against a team that was not here to win. Those types of games are tough, but we are good, we move on to the next one.”
Top of the log Sundowns are now 11 points ahead of the second-placed Stellenbosch FC with 49 points from 19 outings.
Rulani Mokwena on Themba Zwane, Bongani Zungu injury update and Neo Maema.
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) April 3, 2024
Full press conference ➡ ➡https://t.co/iHsGRgQ88y pic.twitter.com/d41hVOiKAI
