Mamelodi Sundowns’ new French coach, Henri Michel, expressed his satisfaction after a curate’s egg 2-0 Premier League victory over an outclassed Thanda Royal Zulu at the Super Stadium on Sunday afternoon — but justifiably voiced ”some reservations”.
Speaking through an interpreter after his first game on the bench since replacing Trott Moloto, the new coach complained the Brazilians had the game by the scruff of the neck after the first half — only to lose their way in the second period when they were reduced to Royal Zulu’s level.
And while there was never any prospect of Sundowns surrendering a 2-0 half-time lead that was the product of goals from Mozambican international Dario Monterio and Katlego Mphela in the sixth and 18th minutes respectively, the Brazilians’ improvement was short-lived as the game deteriorated into a lacklustre stalemate.
Michel, however, was content with what he termed ”the potential to improve” and was optimistic he could raise Sundowns’ back to a level where they accumulated a record five PSL championships.
A fierce thunderstorm an hour before kick-off helped clear the sultry conditions, but seemingly left Royal Zulu’s defence as leaky as a sieve, with Sundowns deprived of a third goal in the 30th minute when Monteiro was ruled to have been fractionally off-side.
And Calvin Marlin in Sundowns’ goal was required to make only one straight-forward save throughout the opening period.
The Brazilians appeared poised to produce a goal glut after the interval, but instead gradually lost their drive and purpose and a succession of substitutions hardly improved matters.
”We were never in the game,” admitted candid Zulu Royals coach Roger Palgrem. ”They have players who know how to play the game and we were simply outclassed.” – Sapa