Africa-Press – Namibia. WINNING trophies with the team is more important than personal glory, says Peter Shalulile after his second hat trick in a week helped Sundowns to a 6-0 demolition of Golden Arrows on Tuesday.
The Namibian international became the first player in South African Premiership history to score a hat trick in back-to-back top-flight appearances, following up on the three he got in Downs’ 4-2 win against Swallows FC last week Wednesday.
He joins an elite group of strikers to have found the back of the net 20 times or more, having now registered 21 strikes all from open play with no spot kicks.
“When they say opportunity meets hard work, I think they are referring to a player like Peter because he gives his heart and soul to the team,” Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi said of the free-scoring forward.
Bafana Bafana forward Kermit Erasmus, Slovak striker Pavol Safranko and Uruguayan midfielder Gaston Sirino completed Tuesday’s rout in what represents the biggest victory in the competition’s history.
“And, when a player gives so much that’s why he ends up getting more and the other players are also willing to pass to him because they know he’s a very good team player.
“The camaraderie and team spirit is very good among the group and we’re really excited about what these boys are offering,” said Mngqithi.
Shalulile’s latest perfect treble, means he is now just four goals shy of equaling Zambian Collins Mbesuma’s all-time record of 25 league goals in a single season.
He has five games left in which do so so, but it is not something that keeps him up night.
“It’s like I always tell people, I want the team to win first, do good first and the rest will follow. With hard work, you will not go wrong and that’s why I keep scoring goals,” Shalulile said in a post-match interview with SuperSport.
His preference for shared success was best highlighted by the reaction to being voted man of the match again after another brilliant display.
“To be honest my excitement was more if [playmaker Themba] Zwane scores. He’s my man of the match. He was on his A-game. To watch how my teammates play, it was really something great to watch, the love, the brotherhood inside here is one thing I love a lot,” said the hitman.
Shalulile has been a destructive force for Mamelodi Sundowns, having plundered 49 goals in 75 matches across two seasons, overtaking Zimbabwean Khama Billiat (48), now at Kaizer Chiefs, to place sixth on the all-time PSL-era goals chart for the club.
Shalulile has scored more goals this campaign than PSL sides AmaZulu, Sekhukhune, Marumo Gallants, Maritzburg United, Chippa United, Swallows, TS Galaxy and Baroka.
Nonetheless, firing Sundowns to more titles is Sha-Sha’s primary concern, the rest is a bonus.
“Records are meant to be broken. They are set by people, so we are all there to break them. It’s possible this year to get what I wanna do; which is to score more goals and win cups for the team,” Shalulile said.
Sundowns opened a 14-point lead over nearest chasers Royal AM and 18 to Kaizer Chiefs in third with the resounding Arrows victory, edging closer to a fifth consecutive league title.
The Brazilians are chasing a quadrupole of trophies this season. The Top 8 cup is already in their trophy cabinet and they are still challenging for the CAF Champions League and South African FA Cup. Mngqithi says it is premature to entertain talk of a quadruple despite Sundowns scintillating form.
Sundowns have scored 22 goals in their last five matches in all competitions.
“It will be naïve of us to count our chickens before they hatch. We have to keep going and just take each game as it comes and concentrate on our processes in-house,” the coach said.
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