Late heroics from Shalulile and Williams rescue Sundowns in Kinshasa

Matshelane Mamabolo

MANIEMA UNION (1) 1

Kitambala 38

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS (0) 2

Shalulile 83 Mwanda 90+5

THIS is why they say you can’t buy experience. This is why seasoned campaigners should not be discarded, even when they seem to be way past it.

A match that was, for all intents and purposes, running away from Sundowns was turned on its head by the presence of a wily old horse seen in some circles as being over the hill.

Peter Shalulile has long attained the status of Sundowns legend, the Namibian fast closing in on the club’s record goals following numerous seasons in which he has helped the club win titles.

Granted, he has slowed down a bit in recent times and now finds himself being a bit part player – coming on mainly as a substitute and often without making much impact.

Yet on an afternoon when the dream of a second CAF Champions League title was being threatened in the Kinshasa heat, Shalulile reminded those with short memories just what a fantastic player he is.

Grant Kekana had contrived to give Maniema a late first half goal, the Bafana Bafana defender incredulously letting himself get twisted and turned like a pretzel by Japhta Kitambala as the hosts caught Sundowns on the counter-attack.

Kitambala sprinted pretty sprightly for a hugely-built boy from his own half into the Sundowns danger box though his shoving off the challenge of Teboho Mokoena was not surprising.

He toe-poked the ball in at Ronwen Williams’ near post to end the partisan crowd into song and dance.

The South African champions, having earlier dominated the game but failing to make their dominance count as the likes of Arthur Sales and Iqram Rayners fluffed good chances, appeared pretty flat and hardly looked like getting back into it as the game progressed.

Enter Shalulile late into the match and the impact was immediate.

A corner kick from the left side of the field was played short and backwards before Lucas Ribeiro lofted the ball into the box.

Shalulile, a master of position himself and a striker pretty adept at breaking defensive lines did what he is renowned for and the ball landed flush on his head for him to simply redirect it past the hapless Brudel Efonge.

It looked as though a draw would be the result with Maniema set to maintain their record of holding all three of their visitors in Group B.

But with a minute of stoppage time to go, yet another ball was lofted into the box and again Shalulile timed his run perfectly.

His first touch was fantastic as usual, but Exaucia Moanda – in a desperate attempt to stop the Namibian – stabbed the ball into his own net.

The Sundowns players duly celebrated with Shalulile, delighted that his presence and pressure had forced the own goal that gave them the maximum points that took them to eight points – equal with AS FAR Rabat prior to their clash with raja Casablanca.

A win for AS Far in that match would see both them and Sundowns qualify for the quarter-finals to render their clash at Loftus Versfeld merely academic.

A raja victory though will mean there’s still much to play for.

Should that be the case, Sundowns know that – in Peter Shalulile – they have a stalwart who can deliver the goods when called on to.