Staff Reporter.
Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to successfully defend their DStv Premiership title by avoiding a defeat against Cape Town City at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday.
Sundowns are coming off a disappointing 1-1 draw against Angola’s Petro de Luanda at home on Saturday and the result saw the South African giants bow out of the CAF Champions League in the quarterfinals.
The Brazilians, who are undefeated in their last two matches in the DStv Premiership, are placed at the top of the league standings – 12 points clear of second-placed Royal AM, but the former have a game in hand.
Sundowns need a point from their encounter against City in order to clinch this season’s league championship and it would also be a record-extending fifth successive league title.
Manqoba Mngqithi, the Sundowns co-head coach, reflected on the team’s elimination from the Champions League and he stated that they need to do better in their upcoming games.
“[We are] unfortunate that we did not qualify to the semifinals,” Mngqithi said after Masandawana were eliminated from Africa’s biggest club tournament in the quarterfinals for the third year running.
“But I think the boys gave a good account of themselves, and it’s probably us as the leadership that will have to take the bullet and say maybe we need to plan and do better in the next coming matches.
“And make sure that we improve in this space because seemingly we are not achieving our ultimate goals.”
Meanwhile, City are among the most in-form teams in the DStv Premiership at the moment as they are undefeated in their last eight matches having drawn 1-1 with Royal AM at home on April 16 in their last game.
The Citizens are placed third on the league standings – five points behind second-placed Royal AM and a point ahead of fourth-placed Kaizer Chiefs and fifth-placed Orlando Pirates who will both be in action on Wednesday.
Eric Tinkler, the City head coach, described Sundowns as an exceptional team and he made it clear that they can only beat the defending champions if they are at their best.
“Right now our focus is obviously on the upcoming game against Sundowns. [It’s a] tough game because they are an exceptional team with their own brand of football that they play,” Tinkler said.
“Peter] Shalulile is on fire at the moment, scoring lots of goals. They are a team which is very difficult to break down they have a very good defensive record.
“So, truthfully we have to be at our very best if we want to go there and compete, and collect maximum points but we can do that with a lot of self believe and confidence in ourselves.”