Staff Reporter.
The DStv Premiership returns to action this weekend with a round of fixtures headlined by a clash between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates at Loftus on Friday
Sundowns resume domestic action after the World Cup break boasting a five-point lead over Richards Bay with a game in hand.
Rulani Mokwena’s side recovered from a bumpy start to the season, which saw them lose two of their opening six matches, by winning six on the spin ahead of the six-week hiatus.
Sundowns scored 13 goals and conceded just once during that run, while keeping five clean sheets in the process, to sit pretty at the top of the table.
A surprise shake-up in the technical team in October saw Mokwena promoted to head coach, with Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela taking on lesser roles.
Mokwena is now looking to assert his authority at Chloorkop by making further changes to his backroom staff, which has already resulted in Riedoh Berdien and Marcus Mashilo departing the club.
“It is only normal and there will be more changes because the club has given me an opportunity that I am extremely grateful for,” he said.
“They have given me the support for which I am extremely grateful for and mine is to repay that. Part to that is to understand that I need a very strong team around me because I cannot do it alone. In the interim that means moving in a direction the club wants to move in.
“This is because the club will always outlive me and be more important and therefore in due course the club will definitely make announcements as to what changes have been made to the technical team.”
The Buccaneers are well off the pace in the title race after a 1-0 defeat to arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs on October 29 saw them fall nine points behind Masandawana.
Pirates did have something to celebrate, though, after beating AmaZulu in the MTN8 final on November 5 to claim their first trophy of the campaign.
Jose Riveiro’s team will fancy their chances against Downs, having eliminated them 3-0 on aggregate in the semifinals of the cup competition in October.
Riveiro is convinced his squad has all the attributes to challenge for more silverware, saying: “All of the things that we are doing is to have opportunities to get titles.
“It’s obviously the targets and objectives of the club and we are here to try our best so I am 100 per cent sure that with this group it’s not going to be the first time we find ourselves in a situation [to win more trophies].”
In other matches on Friday, Stellenbosch are at home to Chippa United in Stellenbosch and improving Royal AM are away to struggling Cape Town City at Cape Town Stadium.
Two more matches on Friday see Maritzburg United, who have recalled prodigal son Fadlu Davids as head coach, take on TS Galaxy, who spent part of the break on a training camp in Europe, at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.
SuperSport host Gallants at Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
The highlight of Saturday’s action is the meeting between Chiefs and Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium while elsewhere Swallows FC visit Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium and Sekhukhune host AmaZulu in Polokwane.