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Ertugral points to Kekana as driving force behind Sundowns

Cape Town - Maritzburg United coach Muhsin Ertugral believes that Hlompho Kekana remains a critical part of Mamelodi Sundowns' side after seeing his team lose 1-0 on Wednesday night to the Brazilians.

Maritzburg put up a creditable fight in the Absa Premiership contest but were eventually undone by a trademark thunderbolt strike by Kekana.

In addition, the Turk takes the view that the Team of Choice have to start taking their chances if they are to escape the relegation places.

Currently, United are in last position in the league and desperately need to start winning if they are avoid relegation in 2018/19.

He told SuperSport TV after the defeat at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria: "We played against Sundowns and if you have half a chance, first half I think (we) had three open shots and three open headers.

"We needed to take our chances. The longer the game went, the more possession went to Sundowns.

"There was some sort of naivety there with the traps of the third man running and (the) second man running, and we were found out many times in the second half.

"They had more of the ball and put more pressure on us. But we actually had good counters and then I think Kekana is a key player in this team and 70 per cent of the ball possession from the team comes through him and that was clearly mentioned and worked out.

"And then obviously the corner came, we should've been on it but we forgot it about that and came (to) a good punch and the goal and were then behind.

"I think the performance of the boys wasn't bad, but we can't buy anything at the moment for that - playing good football. We need to win."

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