That’s how football works, says Mokwena on Sundowns’ stalemate in Egypt 

Having put up a performance that surely deserved more than the one point that Mamelodi Sundowns eked out of their Caf Champions League match, co-coach Rulani Mokwena was understanding.

Sundowns gave a stellar performance in the first half of their second Group B match against Sudan’s EL Merreikh at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Saturday. But they just could not convert their chances and ended up drawing a game they could have easily won, had they been clinical. 

A point, however, is not a bad result for Masandawana who are top of their group with four points off two games.   

That’s how football works and there is no point in crying over spilt milk,” said Mokwena after the game. “It was just unfortunate that the (Erwin) Saavedra injury forced us to change the structure of our attack. 

“That compromised our high press but it’s okay… (Thabiso) Kutumela came on and tried his best to try and help the team. We were not so good in the second half, but the first half performance is something we can build upon,” he added.

Saavedra was injured towards the end of the first half after a collision with El Merreikh’s Mohammed Mustafa.  Sundowns will remain in Egypt until the weekend, because they have a tough fixture against Al Ahly on Friday, their third game of the group stages. 

In Al Ahly they face their former coach Pitso Mosimane and the game is bound to be hotly contested. There is some animosity between the two clubs that developed after Mosimane changed allegiance.   

Mokwena admitted Sundowns could have done better, especially with the chances they created so effortlessly in the first stanza.

“I suppose it was a game of two halves. In the first half I think we were exceptionally dominant, and created a lot of chances – we had six big, big chances. They created just two opportunities from our carelessness on the ball and they caught us on the counter attack. 

“The one that Brian Onyango cleared off the line was a big one, it came from our situation in having a set piece and turning over possession of the ball. Even the one at the end of the half came from a similar situation. 

“But to be honest, it was a stable performance and we were in control. It didn’t look like we were in trouble for most parts.”