Khuliso Mudau & Teboho Mokoena out of Tshwane derby

Published on by Joel Oliver

The two key players will not be involved in Mamelodi Sundowns’ league opener

 Khuliso Mudau and Teboho Mokoena are reportedly set to miss Mamelodi Sundowns’ PSL opener against local rivals SuperSport United.

According to SABC, the pai have been dropped for the second game in a row and will not be part of the Brazilians as they face SuperSport in the Tshwane derby at the Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday.

Mudau and Mokoena are among Sundonws’ key players but coach Manqoba Mngqithi seems keen to shake off complacency from his players after having witnessed a shaky start to their season.

The duo also missed Sundowns’ 4-0 thrashing of Mbabane Swallows in the CAF Champions League last weekend as Masandwana returned to winning ways and the tactician gave a hint to what might have led to the changes.

Why is Mangoba Mngqithi wielding the axe?

“To fight complacency at Sundowns the biggest advantage we have is competition. When you think you will play whenever you want to play – you will always have a problem,” Mngqithi said after Saturday’s match.

“The other player behind you is just waiting for an opportunity – just one chance to play. It becomes difficult to take out a player that has performed well and the team is winning.

“That’s why, in a club like Sundowns, for each and every player to know the little opportunity they get…you must use it to good effect because you will be pleasantly surprised to find yourself not playing.

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Teboho Mokoena – Photo by Mamelodi Sundowns

The coach’s position is still uncertain at Sundowns

“But you are regarded as a top player – the one playing at that point in time is doing well, then what must we do? Must we be unfair to the youngster to accommodate you? It does not work like that.”

Mngqithi has faced criticism at the start of his tenure at Sundowns after his side were eliminated from the MTN8 by Stellenbosch at the semi-final before they responded in the Champions League.

There are already reports linking Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy to the Sundowns coaching job and the speculation will only increase if Mngqithi’s men fail to secure maximum points against SuperSport.

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Joel Oliver

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.
His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.