Mamelodi Sundowns’ Mokwena: We are very bad losers in this team

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rhulani Mokwena is hoping his side’s humiliating defeat to Stellenbosch FC on Saturday, will serve as a wake-up call.

In Downs’ first home defeat of the league campaign, goals from Ashley du Preez either side of a deft finish from Jayden Adams condemned the Brazilians to their worst domestic result since going down 3-0 to Bidvest Wits nearly six years ago in the 2016 MTN8 final.

While Mokwena praised Stellenbosch’s performance and conceded it was a “humbling result,” he also admitted the loss will leave a bitter taste.

“We lose as a team we win as a team,” he told SuperSport TV after the game in Tshwane. “We are very bad losers in this team. But we’ll get there, we will take it and analyze it and check our mistakes.”

The Brazilians end their league campaign away at Royal AM and also have a cup final to look forward to against Marumo Gallants on the final day of the season on May 28.

“Very difficult one,” Mokwena said in reference to next week’s trip down to Durban to face John Maduka’s third-placed Royal AM.

“But good that we got this one [result] which says ‘wakey-wakey, you’re not invincible'.

“So we take it and move on to two very important things. It’s important to finish the season well with a winning feeling. And then to go on to the [Nedbank Cup] final and lift the trophy and give it to this deserving club.

“Because they (the supporters) have been magnificent. Normally our supporters sulk a little bit, but today they were magnificent. We conceded one, we conceded two and they kept shouting and then screaming and supporting us, it’s a pity that we couldn’t win the match. But we take it and we move on.”

With one round of league matches to play this season, Masandawana top the standings with 62 points, 13 points ahead of second-placed Cape Town City.