With three domestic cup final losses in a season-and-a-half, Mamelodi Sundowns are in a phase that's puzzling even to head coach Manqoba Mngqithi.
In a contest of giant versus rookie, Sundowns were overwhelming favourites to lift the trophy at Free State Stadium, but Magesi FC put on a second half show that sent a clear reminder that football is a game where no one can be written off.
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For Sundowns, the big question that they are probably going to be asking themselves now is why can't they deliver when it matters most. Last season, they were beaten twice by Orlando Pirates in the finals of the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup and they had hoped that the dry spell would end this past weekend against Magesi FC. But, they lost when it mattered most, despite being the most prolific side in the competition with 12 goals scored.
They squandered a first half lead to lose 2-1 and they now have to pick themselves up for what's still going to be a demanding season of local and continental football.
Of course, Mngqithi was not in charge of all three cup finals defeats, but was a key member of the technical team under Rulani Mokwena.
"I think we've gone into that spell where things are just not going our way in cup matches and you really would not put a finger on it. I remember even in the game against Pirates, I think we were on 70-30 in terms of possession and we had a lot of shots at goals. We did everything right, but unfortunately in the latter stages of the game, they created a goal out of nothing and we lost the final," Mngqithi said after the game.
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"In the MTN8, I think we did very well there. I would not blame anything on the team. In football, you must know that sometimes you will win and sometimes you will lose. It's very unfortunate that in a competition where you have scored 12 goals in four matches, and only conceded two, you lose that competition. That is the most sore point. When I won the MTN8 with Golden Arrows, I think we scored 11 goals and conceded one. This time we scored 12 and conceded two and we are out without the cup. For me, that was a good return, but unfortunately where it mattered most, that's where we let it go."
Sundowns need to quickly put the cup final loss behind them and turn their focus to CAF Champions League football, as the round robin phase kicks off on Tuesday. They host Congolese outfit Maniema Union at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday evening.
By Tshepang Mailwane
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