Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena was left fuming after his side were knocked out of the Carling Knockout cup by TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday night. Galaxy won the encounter 5-4 via penalty shoot-outs after it ended 2-2 after 90 minutes plus another added half an hour of extra time.
It was a night of entertaining football with lots of dramatic moments in the game – a real cup tournament encounter with both sides not holding back and giving as good as they got.
Sadly, the match will be remembered for the horrible tackle by Bongani Zungu that could end Bernard Parker’s career. Zungu went studs up, missed the ball and connected with the shin of the flying Parker. After the collision, the former Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs player’s shin flapped about like a bamboo, and was immediately stretchered off and taken to hospital. Zungu got a straight red card for the rough tackle.
The Sundowns coach hit back at the fixture schedule and was livid as to how the league could allow a match to be played one day after the Fifa international break. Sundowns missed seven of their key players who were on national duty with Bafana in Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Their makeshift team played well and almost romped home with a victory.
“Let me be gracious and first congratulate TS Galaxy on progressing to the next round. Let me also take the opportunity to appreciate the Sundowns players for a gallant fight against all odds. We made three big errors that cost us, but we still fought. Congratulations to TS Galaxy,” Mokwena said after the match.
“But it counts for nothing, isn’t it? Who cares that you are 2-0 down and you are 10 men? Who cares that you play the day after and you tell me of any club in the world, any club, I’m waiting, any club in the world that plays a day after the FIFA break? Who cares that you have the Footballer of the Season not here?
“Who cares that you have the Goalkeeper of the Season not here? Who cares that you don’t have the Defender of the Year? Who cares? Everyone will say these are excuses and people will celebrate our downfall, but that’s okay because, as human beings, we plan but God decides,” he fumed as he was doing the post-match interview.
