Nyatama concedes Swallows played for a point against Sundowns

The goalless draw helps the Dube Birds in their fight to avoid relegation by moving them four points clear of the drop zone with five games remaining. 

Nyatama says the message to the players was obvious.  

"We were playing against the champions, we didn't need to open the game [up] that much, and it's a huge point for us that will go a log way," said Nyatama.

"We didn't want to concede today and, as you can see down there [in the relegation scrap], goal difference is very important, so it will come down to goal difference at the end of the season.

"So, we needed to keep a clean sheet and make it a point that we take a point [off the champions]... we had to be realistic."

With Sundowns having long wrapped up their league title defense, coach Rulani Mokwena disagrees with the notion that, following a second successive league draw, they failed to play on the front foot. 

"These games are very difficult because in football you need a lot of conditions to have intensity – you need the opponent there as an aggressor, and today we played against an opponent sitting and holding onto a point at home," defended Mokwena.

"You also need a very good pitch so that the ball moves a little, and the pitch was a little bit dry and bumpy, so we were responsible for the tempo and I think we did all that we could – we created chances and had [many] final third entries."