Mdledle says Sundowns’ know-how ended Pirates’ MTN8 dominance

Mamelodi Sundowns’ experience proved decisive as Orlando Pirates’ four-season hold on the MTN8 came to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, according to former Buccaneers defender Innocent Mdledle.

Sundowns controlled the final after taking the lead, with Mdledle arguing that their ability to manage the match exposed the difference between the two teams. He also felt the scoreline did not fully reflect Masandawana’s superiority.

Experience made the difference

“It was experience versus young boys. They beat us with the experience, those people. If Sundowns score first, it’s a problem. They know how to manage the game,” Mdledle told KickOff.

Although he believed Pirates worked harder physically, he said they failed to turn that effort into meaningful opportunities, particularly once Sundowns had gone ahead.

“On the day it looked like those boys wanted it too much, but we did not even create chances,” he said.

“So, I’d say it was not Pirates’ day. If you analyse properly, Pirates were running more than Sundowns, but at the end of the day they did not create anything, especially after the goal; it got bad from there actually.

“Sundowns just managed the game; they created more chances than Pirates.”

The result brought an end to Pirates’ four-season reign as MTN8 holders and handed Sundowns the trophy after a commanding final performance.

Appollis question dismissed

Oswin Appollis, one of Pirates’ most dangerous attacking players, began the match on the bench. He was introduced shortly after half-time when Kamogelo Sebelebele was forced off through injury.

Mdledle, who previously played at left-back for Sundowns and also represented Bafana Bafana, rejected the suggestion that starting Appollis could have changed the outcome.

“It doesn’t matter who Pirates put in the line-up for the day, because Pirates have been performing; they play well, those boys, the line-up was fine,” he said.

Rather than blame the selection, Mdledle insisted the defeat reflected the team’s performance on the day and not the absence of one individual from the starting XI.

“Are we talking about one player? Would one player have made a difference? There is a reason why they started him (Appollis) from the bench; we can’t, because the team has lost, start to say, so he should have started.”

He argued that the same problems would have remained regardless of who was selected.

“Whoever was going to be played, it was going to be the same on the day. One player was not going to make a difference,” the former Bafana Bafana defender added.