Former allies Steve Komphela and Rulani Mokwena were involved in a frosty greeting as Komphela faced Mamelodi Sundowns for a second time since leaving the Brazilians.
On Wednesday night, Komphela’s Golden Arrows welcomed the DStv Premiership champions at the Mpumalanga Stadium where they managed to etch out a point from Masandawana after a goalless draw.
The match was coated with the perceived ‘beef’ between Mokwena and Komphela, as the latter once mentioned that he was pushed out of Sundowns because Mokwena wanted to work with his “own people”.
Having spent two successful seasons at Chloorkop, Komphela worked closely with Mokwena and Downs assistant coach Manqoba Mngqithi, whom Komphela shares a close friendship with.
The former Kaizer Chiefs mentor was seen having a cosy interaction with Mngqithi after the match, but did not give Mokwena the same attention.
Given what Komphela has said about working with coaches who are discrete with information, suggesting that some laptops are protected with five passwords – a jab which Mokwena jokingly responded to in a press conference.
Ordinarily, the motivation to get one over a coach who presumably you don’t see eye to eye with is higher, but Mokwena insists his line of thought is not channeled that way.
“I think his motivation to be us should have been higher, especially when there is a numerical advantage. But I can’t speak for Steve. We tried to win the game and we did everything we did to win the game,” said Mokwena.
“I am proud of the players and their efforts. I don’t play in that space, I try to be a coach who respects the game and tries to focus on helping the team, and that is why even when there was a situation in the last game, I had to go against my heart and pull Divine Lunga out in the first half.
“I do what’s best for the team because even against Arrows when we got a red card, it hurts to take out Themba Zwane so early because he was playing well but I have to do what’s best for the team. My focus is not on the other things on the side,” Mokwena added.
The unbeaten Sundowns side will shift their focus to Royal AM where they will play the first of two back-to-back matches in Pretoria this coming Saturday before heading to the Harry Gwala Stadium on May 14.
A point earned on the road and the unbeaten streak continues! 👆#Sundowns #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/vwwUa9aX8T
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 9, 2024
