Jali credits home crowd for stellar performance

Andile Jali’s hometown of Matatiele is some 450km away from the Sisa Dukashe Stadium, but the midfielder had a feeling of homecoming when Mamelodi Sundowns beat Chippa United 1-0 on Saturday night to climb up the Absa Premiership table.

Jali displayed arguably his finest performance in a Sundowns shirt and he says his Man-of-the-Match display was inspired by playing in front of a crowd where it all started for him.

“This is where I come from and it is where I began playing football. I want to thank the Sundowns supporters and everyone who has supported me to up my game,” Jali told SuperSport TV upon receiving his Man-of-the-Match gong.

The 28-year-old has promised the Masandawana faithful that a lot more is still to come from him this season.

“The coach has been giving me confidence and that is why I am putting in a lot of effort, because the coach is supporting me. My team-mates tell me to push harder in training because they know the level I can reach, but I have not yet got to where I want to be. My time is coming.”

READ: Sundowns rounding into form with hard-fought win over Chippa

His coach Pitso Mosimane had praise for Jali after the game.

“Jali showed true leadership, he is really getting to his level,” Mosimane said.

However, he was not at all happy about his side’s slackness in front of goal, insisting that the scoreline should have looked a lot more emphatic.

“Lebogang Maboe was losing balls on the side and was not really convincing, looking good but not really biting. Chippa were pushing up in numbers and we had to respond to that.

“We should have wrapped it up in the first half … we had clear chances … my team does not know how to score goals,” said the former Bafana Bafana coach.

Mosimane added: “It was not an easy game, it was very difficult but at the end of the day we went down to Port Elizabeth and we got the three points.”

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