Mosimane questions TKO venue after Arrows down Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has questioned whether his side can play their Telkom Knockout semifinal against Lamontville Golden Arrows at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont, Durban, later this month.

The two teams squared off in an Absa Premiership match at the venue on Sunday that was played in torrential rain, which led to puddles on the pitch and difficult passing conditions for both sides.

Sundowns lost 3-2 after a howler from their experienced goalkeeper Dennis Onyango, in part due to the conditions, to seriously dent their title hopes. They trail leaders Kaizer Chiefs by 10 points with a game in hand.

Sundowns are due to return to the same ground for the cup semifinal on November 23, but Mosimane believes the choice of venue is wrong.  

“I don’t know if we can play the game here on this pitch because the drainage is not good,” he said in his post-match interview on SuperSport.

“It’s a good pitch, but it’s got some bad patches. The PSL knows why they brought the game here.

“I don’t know if the stadium can take the semifinal. But I don’t want to make that as an excuse because both teams had to play here.”

Sundowns had been leading 1-0 when Onyango let a routine shot that was straight at him trickle between his legs as Golden Arrows equalised and changed the momentum of the match in their favour.

“A big mistake from our No 1 goalkeeper. It happens – it's the conditions. He applied the wrong technique and the ball bounced differently,” said Mosimane.

“It was a difficult game. What can you say? Difficult conditions for both teams. But I never thought we would lose this game.”

Sundowns have now picked up just a single point from the last nine available in the league, with their next Premiership game at home to AmaZulu (November 26), three days after they return to Durban to meet Golden Arrows in the Telkom Knockout semis (November 23).