Relief for Rhulani Mokwena as MC Alger sink struggling Mostaganem to ease pressure on ex-Mamelodi Sundowns coach

The pressure that has been piling on former Mamelodi Sundowns tactician Rhulani Mokwena is set to ease up a little bit.

This is after MC Alger registered a 5-0 win over Mostaganem in a Ligue 1 encounter on Saturday.

Marwane Khelif broke the deadlock in favour of MC Alger in the 47th minute before Mohamed Bangoura struck the second in the 56th minute.

Abdelkader Menezia scored the third goal for Mokwena' side in the 70th minute before Bangoura struck again in the 73rd minute to extend their lead and register his brace.

The fifth goal was scored by Bangoura, who was the star of the game, as he found the back of the net in the 88th minute.

MC Alger remains at the top with 40 points and enjoys a three-match advantage over second-placed Constantine, who have 36 points.

Meanwhile, Mostaganem are 15th in a 16-team table.

Mokwena found himself under immense pressure after they were beaten in the Algerian Cup by CR Belouizdad in an entertaining clash on March 4.

They dropped league points after a 0-0 draw to JS Kabyle and a 2-1 defeat to Oran in previous games.

Initially, they saw their CAF Champions League dream evaporate when Mamelodi Sundowns defeated them in a high-stakes encounter in Pretoria.

Amid the growing pressure, Mokwena made a comment that many understood to mean that the former Orlando Pirates tactician was ready to quit his job.

“I don’t want to do speeches; we have leaders in the group. The result on the pitch speaks for itself. Teams that want their coach to stay, they win those types of games," Mokwena said.

“Football is a game of mistakes, and never, ever, ever, ever, I’m not this person. I’m very grateful that I was raised in this manner; I will never throw the players under the bus.

“It’s my mistakes, my decisions [that cost us]. These players, they’ve given me nothing but their best from the day I arrived here," he added.

“What was important for the season was to do better than last season in all competitions. This was the objective."

Mokwena, who is linked to Libyan heavyweights Al-Ittihad, will lead his charges again back to action on March 13 against Paradou.