Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has responded to previous criticism that Thapelo Maseko is not good enough to play for the club after he raised his level with two goals in the African Football League.
Maseko was criticized by a section of fans in the domestic league for having all the pace but lacking the end product and that perhaps his signing was hyped.
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However, the former SuperSport United winger put in impressive performances since the international break, as he scored a crucial goal in the Brazilians' 2-0 win over Petro de Luanda in the African Football League quarter-final first-leg.
The soon-to-be 20-year-old also scored the only goal of the match for the Tshwane giants, as they edged Al Ahly 1-0 in the AFL semi-final first-leg.
Mokwena had an emotional embrace with Maseko after he scored and says the emotions of the goal were not motivated by the criticism the winger has had but by the fact that the instructions from the half-time team talk worked.
"He doesn't need to thank me, if there is any backing, any support it is just me doing my job. I think I embrace almost all the players when they score," Mokwena said in a press conference.
"I think this one was a little bit emotional because 40 percent of my half-time team talk was directed to Thapelo (Maseko) about certain movements and I think that was maybe that's why it was a bit more emotional than he realized that.
"'Oh, what I have been advised to do actually works. He's a talented kid, he's 19. We're quick to forget but history should always teach us this thing, especially with Sundowns, that our players always improve," he said.
The 36-year-old coach went on and appealed for patience for Maseko to settle in and his game will eventually improve, like other players who were new in the setup.
"So you've got to be patient. We were patient with Cassius (Mailula), we were patient with Neo (Maema), we were patient with 'Sailor' (Khuliso Mudau), we were patient with Tebza (Teboho Mokoena), Grant (Kekana)," he continued.
"As I cried for patience with Cassius last season and we saw an incline," he added.
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