Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane was “very upset” at the unnecessary reckless challenge by centreback Soumahoro Bangaly that led to Esperance Sportive de Tunis’s 2-1 Caf Champions League victory on Friday night.
With the Caf Champions League game between the two best teams in Group C at Lucas Moripe Stadium drifting towards a draw winger Fakreddine Ben Youssef made a run in the area. Bangaly stuck out a leg‚ and the Esperance player made an appropriate meal of the foul.
Yassine Khenissi struck the spot-kick past Denis Oyango for a 90th-minute winner‚ and the Esperance striker’s second of the game having scored in the sixth minute‚ before Sibusiso Vilakazi’s 21st-minute equaliser.
Bangaly had replaced limping Motjeka Madisha just before the break.
Mosimane said he had told his players to “play smart” against the Tunisian giants.
“We just let ourselves down. Again critical phase – 89th minute. He committed a foul‚” the coach lamented.
“I think it’s a foul. I’m not sure – I haven’t seen the footage‚ but from where I was sitting it looked a foul in the box.
“Really‚ really‚ unbelievable. I mean‚ Esperance were playing for a draw. And if you don’t win‚ at least you are still joint-leaders.
“And I told the guys‚ ‘You’ve got to understand the mentality of the North Africans’. If you look at the penalty they got against Vita‚ you could see‚ they are smart. They know how to play. They play for a penalty.
“I’m not saying this was no penalty. But they always put the leg there‚ and you know the story.
“And I told the guys‚ ‘You’ve got to be smart. You can never ever try and play the way you play in the PSL in the Champions League‚ especially against the North Africans’.
“You know‚ they lie on the floor‚ they ask for a foul. So we were a little it naïve to give the penalty. And I’m very upset with the penalty.
“We suffered a penalty against Baroka. OK‚ that one‚ it hit the player’s hip and the ball deflected onto the player’s hand‚ and a penalty was given. And we paid big time.
“That one was not a penalty. But this one‚ we could have been smarter. Because the guy is not going to score there.
“You could just guide him to go to the side. But as a coach it’s the price you pay.”
Sundowns conceded a hotly-contested late penalty in their 2-2 draw against Baroka FC on May 10‚ a crucial result in the Brazilians conceding their Absa Premiership title to new champions Bidvest Wits.
The loss against Esperance is likely to result in the Tunisian club winning Group C. Defending champions Downs will still consider themselves favourites to finish in the top two and reach the quarterfinals.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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