Manqoba Mngqithi downplays beating former club Mamelodi Sundowns | OneFootball

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Mngqithi playdown Sundowns victory

Photo: Veli Nhlapo

Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi played down his team’s victory over Mamelodi Sundowns on Wednesday afternoon.

The KZN side edged the defending Betway Premiership champions 1-0, thanks to Junior Sede Dion’s solitary goal at King Zwelithini Stadium.

Mngqithi, who was axed by Sundowns in December 2024, says he wouldn’t perceive the win as getting one over his former employers.

“For beating Sundowns, I would not look at it as my former team, and it would feel bad if I want to gloat about beating Sundowns because this team has done so much for me and my family and I will always feel grateful to this team,” he said.

The 54-year-old tactician went on to come to the defense of Sundowns’ slugging start to the 2025/26 campaign, highlighting the impact of the Tshwane giants’ participation in the Club World Cup in the US.

“I never have feeling of thinking I am better because I know this is still a very powerful team. I hear people saying this season is going to be something different. In my opinion this team is still very strong. It’s just a matter of time [before they click],” Mngqithi added.

“You must remember they did not have a proper preseason, and we are still capitalizing on that. In the first 10 matches you can expect them not to be in sync and also the fact that they were also in the Club World Cup took its toll.

“The adaptation from the Club World Cup alone should at least take close to a month for the players to really adapt very well and I don’t think they are where they are supposed to be. And when I look at the recruitment they did, I think they did very well.

“I think Nuno [Santos] is a very good player. The young boy Bennet [Mokoena] was with us in the DDC, I think he is a very good player and the other youngster [Miguel Reisinho] they got from Portugal is also very good. So, in my opinion I see a team that lost today, which does not define that this team is no longer good enough.

He concluded: “In my opinion, class is permanent. There are moments where with that class you can always be punished here and there but I think Sundowns is still very strong this season and I am honest when I say that.