Rulani welcomes a point, readies for Al Ahly: Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has insisted he doesn't regret fielding a somewhat under-strength starting XI against Stellenbosch, arguing squad rotation is important to keep players happy.
Mokwena's decision to deploy a line-up that was largely made up of fringe players somewhat backfired as they struggled to penetrate the Stellies defence until he introduced two of his top performers in Teboho Mokoena and Cassius Mailula a few minutes after the hour-mark. Mailula scored in the 77th minute, but Iqraam Rayners converted from 12-yard to ensure the game ended 1-all, ending the Brazillians 15-match winning run.
"At the expense of fluidity and optimisations, you have to give a lot of players chances to play. Players want to play football and when they get opportunities they become happy. I didn't expect a lot of fluidity but I think the second half was a better reflection of our personality. The happiness of the players came first for me,'' Mokwena said.
"We've done it [squad rotation]. We've got no reasons all of a sudden after a draw, to think, 'oh why we rotate?' and all these things. It's part of football, you can't win them all." Mokwena took the draw as a lesson, highlighting the importance of such results in making sure they remain focused. Mokwena gave 18-year-old midfielder Ntando Nkosi his maiden start as a professional player, while he also gave a debut to 21-year-old Siyanda Nyanga, another midfielder, coming off the bench."We win so much that with victories come very little life lessons. So, sometimes you have to receive the upper-cut because we want to get better and sometimes you learn in the difficulties.
It looked like Mokwena spared some of his trusted soldiers against Stellies for Saturday's CAF Champions League Group B clash against Egyptian giants Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld . The Brazilians are still on course to clinch their sixth league title in a row, needing at least three wins from their last eight outings to be home and dry.
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