Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile has expressed his gratitude for reaching 100 goals with the club, attributing his success to the support of his teammates, current and former coaches.

Shalulile capitalized on a misplaced clearance by AmaZulu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa, who had ventured off his line, slotting the ball into the net in the 51st minute at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday to achieve his 100th goal for Sundowns. Arthur Sales added a second goal in the 87th minute, leaving Taariq Fielies on the ground before finding the bottom corner.  

Shalulile’s milestone goal came in his 194th appearance for Sundowns, making him only the second player in PSL history to score 100 goals for a single club, following Daniel Mudau (110 in the PSL era for Sundowns).

“I could not do this without my team-mates and the coaches that I have worked with at Sundowns,” Shalulile told Sundowns media department.  

“But the most is God. It has been hard journey towards that goal (of scoring 100 goals at Sundowns), sleepless nights, hardwork, dedication, coming to work knowing that it’s not easy. 

“I always having that goal that it’s possible. But I’m happy, I just wish for many more to come.”  

In total, Shalulile has scored 129 goals in 279 PSL matches, with 29 coming during his 85 appearances for Highlands Park.

Shalulile, who joined Sundowns from the Lions of The North in 2020, is known for his extra training sessions on his days off.  

“I started this a long time ago, and I promised myself that I would work extra whenever I had the opportunity,” he explained. “For me, it’s about sharpening my skills. By doing it repeatedly, every day, consistently, it becomes easier on the field, and my brain reminds my legs of what I’ve practiced, allowing me to execute and score goals.”

Sundowns, who lead the Betway Premiership table with 58 points after 22 matches, will face second-placed Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Sunday at 15:30.

Pirates, who have finished second behind Sundowns in the league for the past two seasons, are currently second with 40 points, albeit with four games in hand.

Despite not scoring when Sundowns defeated Pirates 4-1 in the reverse fixture, Shalulile has scored six goals in 16 career matches against Pirates, winning nine and losing three. Pirates is in the third place in the list of the clubs he has scored more goals in the PSL behind joint Kaizer Chiefs and Royal AM with 10 goals in 16 matches.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” Shalulile said of his expectations. “Orlando Pirates is a big club. We’re going to do what we normally do, which is to follow the coach’s plans, give our best, and work hard.

“That’s the only thing that has brought us this far. It’s going to be an exciting match, a packed stadium, and it’s worth coming to watch two big teams perform.”