Mamelodi Sundowns defender Khulumani Ndamane reflects on a demanding debut as victory and a clean sheet boost confidence

Khulumani Ndamane was among the names included in Mamelodi Sundowns’ starting eleven on Tuesday evening, officially getting his first real taste of life at the most successful club in the Premier Soccer League in recent seasons.

His introduction came during a demanding period for the Brazilians, who find themselves under immense pressure as their league championship status comes under serious threat, with every fixture carrying significant weight and little room for error.

With high expectations of performing in front of a divided fanbase, one split between support and growing impatience.

Making a first appearance under such circumstances is never easy, but it also presented Ndamane with an opportunity to begin proving his value to the team during a crucial phase of the campaign.

The 21-year-old centre-back acknowledged the match was challenging but drew positives as the Tshwane giants claimed all three points and a clean sheet.

"It was not an easy game," said as per KickOff.

"Especially for me, because it was my first game for the team. But I’m just grateful that we were able to win and keep a clean sheet. Even though the game was not easy, we were able to push and get the right results.

"For myself, for the first game. I wouldn’t say I played well. I played, but there were some mistakes. I think over time we will fix.

"So we will go back to training and fix where we got it wrong."

"The three points are encouraging. If we had lost, my spirit would have been a bit down. So because we won, I think that will motivate me even more to work hard and hopefully win the next few games."

Meanwhile, head coach Miguel Cardoso was impressed with Ndamane’s ‘fantastic’ display.

“Obviously, for Ndamane, that is a young player arriving at Sundowns, dress the shirt and go on the pitch and show the game that he showed that I think was not [only] decent, but was fantastic,” said Cardoso as iDiski Times reported.

“Puts him obviously in a comfortable position regarding the expectations that people have always when a new player plays for the first time. It’s always good to have a good start."

“But I think that his performance was aligned with the other ones from all the players around. Kegan [Johannes] made also a fantastic game."

Cardoso detailed his tactical approach, expressing confidence in his defence even after a caution, before bringing on the regulars to ease the pressure on the youngsters.

“And look, I was so comfortable that both with yellow cards, that was a little bit strange how we can finish, a team like Sundowns finish with 10 yellow cards or eight yellow cards, it’s not normal," he explained.

“But I was so comfortable to keep the players in the pitch because I knew they were playing so clean that it would not be risky."

“Of course, we gave them comfort by bringing in both Aubrey [Modiba] and [Khuliso] Mudau to have capacity to protect by speed.”

With Sundowns preparing for an even more crucial task on Friday, Ndamane will hope that his impressive debut has earned Cardoso’s trust, potentially securing him a role in the club’s continental campaign and providing an opportunity to further enhance his footballing resume with CAF Champions League experience.

The 21-year-old's consistent performances at Masandawana could be pivotal in shaping the next phase of his career, not only solidifying his place in the squad but also increasing his visibility on the international stage.

Featuring regularly for Sundowns would strengthen his case for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as he has already won the confidence of Bafana coach Hugo Broos, despite not making an appearance at the recent Africa Cup of Nations.