Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane believes his side should have been awarded another penalty in his side’s 2-2 draw with Maritzburg United on Friday evening.
Sundowns missed the chance to move within three points of league leaders Kaizer Chiefs after the draw at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Downs took the lead through Hlompho Kekana, only for Rushine De Reuck to equalise shortly after.
The Brazilians regained their lead from the penalty spot through Ricardo Nascimento, but again Eric Tinkler’s men responded quickly to equalise through Thabiso Kutumela.
Despite a frantic finish neither side could find a winner and were forced to settle for the draw.
Speaking after the match to SuperSport TV, Mosimane insisted that his side deserved another spot kick.
‘Ja, we allowed them to come back to us. It’s the first time I see them play much better [since the restart], we really played much better than all the games,’ said Mosimane.
‘OK, against Wits we played a little bit better, to be honest, but tonight out of the last three games at least we stressed that we need to play. We were playing. You could see that we could score.
‘If you focus on the results you’re right, but if you’re a football person you could see that with ten against 11 we played. We didn’t sit back, we tried to play.
‘We had a chance, we could have won the game tonight. We made two big mistakes, two turnovers on the goals they scored, ja, big mistakes on us, that happens.
‘But we’re also a little bit unfortunate to be honest. Denis [Onyango] called for the ball but [Motjeka] Madisja cleared it. That’s a miscommunication between the two. But we’re also a little bit unfortunate in these rounds you know,’ he continued.
Mosimane also noted that there were instances in previous matches where he felt Sundowns have been unfortunate with regard to referees’ decisions.
‘We’ve had a lot of unfortunate situations. Last time [Peter] Shalulile controlled the ball with a hand and he finished the goal, he scored. Last time Happy Jele or Nyauza, I think it’s Happy Jele, he went out with the ball in his hand in the box, we didn’t get a penalty.
‘Tonight, Promise [Mkhuma] was pushed from behind, we didn’t get a penalty, we deserved another penalty. It doesn’t mean if you gave us one, then you can’t give the next one. Those things work a little bit against us.
‘And the red card also, but you have to focus on what does the game say? What is happening? If you want to focus on the results, yes, you’re right, but football is not about results – football is a game and the game yields results. It’s unfortunate, very sad,’ he concluded.
