Ndamane Self-Critical After Sundowns Debut Despite Victory
Mamelodi Sundowns’ new defender Khulumane Ndamane has been critical of his own performance on debut, admitting he was not satisfied with how he played against Sekhukhune United.
Ndamane, who joined Sundowns from TS Galaxy during the January transfer window, made his first appearance for the Tshwane giants in their 2-0 Betway Premiership victory over Sekhukhune at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday.
The defending champions once again showcased their winning mentality, scoring two late goals through Nuno Santos and Brayan Leon to secure all three points.
“Since it was my first game, I don’t think I played well,” Ndamane said.
“I noticed some mistakes, and I believe that as time goes on they will be rectified. We will go back to training and work on correcting where we went wrong.”
Despite falling short of his own expectations, the left-footed KwaZulu-Natal-born defender expressed relief at collecting maximum points, especially against a Sekhukhune side that has already beaten title rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates this season.
“It was my first game with the club, so I’m thankful that we managed to win,” he added.
“We also kept a clean sheet. Even though the match was not easy, we were able to push and get a positive result.”
The victory proved crucial in the context of the title race, with Sundowns under pressure from their closest challengers. The win moved them three points clear of Orlando Pirates, who were held to a draw by Sekhukhune over the weekend.
However, Kaizer Chiefs have since closed the gap after edging Marumo Gallants 1-0 at Dr Molemela Stadium on Wednesday. Chiefs now sit second on the log with 30 points, two behind leaders Sundowns after 15 matches, while Pirates have two games in hand.
“These three points are a huge motivation,” said Ndamane.
“If we didn’t win, my spirit would have been down. This victory gives us confidence to work harder as a team and push for wins in the next matches.”
Sundowns will now shift their focus to continental football as they travel to face Al Hilal in a CAF Champions League encounter at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday.
