Mamelodi Sundowns superstar Peter Shaluile has been struggling. Coach Rulani Mokwena has said it reminds him of Real Madrid icon Karim Benzema.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS STRIKER PETER SHALULILE MISSING THE NET
When last did you see Sudowns’ Shalulile celebrated a goal? His last netting was a penalty kick on 2 March in the CAF Champions League against TP Mazembe at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The penalty was a month after the Sundowns star returned from Afcon 2023 without scoring for the Brave Warriors of Namibia.
Coach Mokwena has said the Sundowns’ striker’s situation reminds him of Benzema’s goal drought at Madrid.
“There is so much work that they have to do in and out of position. As long as I still see that, I’m very happy. I know the goals will come for sure,” Mokwena said via Sowetan.
“Every single striker, you go from [Karim] Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo to [Erling] Haaland, I watched the Manchester derby where he missed with a left-footer. Strikers go through these situations. You just have to support them.
The Sundowns coach added to admit that Shalulile’s struggle worries him. He even spoke to the 30-year-old after training this week.
“I would be lying to you if I said it doesn’t worry me,” Mokwena said.
“I speak to him quite a lot. We spoke today (yesterday), before I left training. We had a session where a lot of it was focused on the final third. Funny, he was just banging goals in and with his left foot.
“And I said to him, is this the return of Peter Shalulile? He looked at me and said, ‘no, it is the return of the left foot. I’m hoping that he continues like this.
“We do a bit of work for him and as I said even before, what I like is for all the players to contribute because our game is a little bit more detailed than putting the ball into the back of the net for the strikers,” the Sundowns mentor said.
Shaluile joined Kabo Yellow from Highlands Park in September 2020. He went on to score a remarkable 85 goals in 142 games, including 22 assists.
NEDBANK CUP LAST 16 VS MARITZBURG UNITED
In the meantime, the African Football League champions have a game this weekend. Kabo Yellow take on Motsepe Foundation Championship side, Maritzburg United in the Ke Yona final 16. The game is set for the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday at 18:00.