Mamelodi Sundowns do not want to get used to losing but defeat against Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup on Saturday is nor a wake-up call, according to coach Rulani Mokwena.
The holders were bundled out in the last eight in a 2-1 defeat at the Athlone Stadium as Stellenbosch came from behind to book a first-ever semifinal berth.
“You'll forgive me for not having the words to explain how does it feel, because it's an acquired taste. And it's a feeling we don't want to get used to, to be honest with you,” said Mokwena after the defeat.
“And it's a feeling that doesn't sit well with us. But OK. It's part of the game, and it's part of football, you win, lose or draw. We lost a very important game but that's the life of big teams. I don’t see it as a wake-up call.”
The cup exit comes on the back of three successive draws in the league where Sundowns have scored once and Mokwena said he was responsible.
“I don't hide and I will not hide. It's in these moments, as the coach, I have to stand up, and I have to be accountable, I am responsible for better results. And it's my responsibility to be in front, especially, when the team is not doing well. So all the blame, all the responsibility is on my head,” he added.
He reiterated his pride in his players, especially after winning yet another DStv Premiership title.
“The hard one is always the league, that's a competition where you have to be consistent to win it. It's not always the best team that wins the cup. Sometimes you need the rub of the green to be able to get results. And I thought today, even though they were better than us, they had also moments where they had more luck than us.
“Not a lot of credit is given to my team for the amount of work that they've done. And for being clearly, in my opinion, the best team in the league, because Sundowns is the benchmark and by far, the best team in the country. But that's not good enough. You're only as good as your last performance in football and in any other sport. And so we have to prove that every single day, and in every single training session,” Mokwena said.