The next couple of days are vital in the South African top tier, as they will paint a clear picture of whether Bucs can sustain their push for the crown. Masandawana are in action on Wednesday night, hoping to get their 11th straight win in the Mzansi top-flight division to overtake the Soweto giants, who have played two games more.
Sundowns’ critical game
On Wednesday, Mamelodi Sundowns host Stellenbosch in a Premier Soccer League fixture to be staged at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Victory for Masandawana will put them top of the table with still a game in hand, which is to the disadvantage of rivals Orlando Pirates.
Matches in hand don’t matter
Sundowns’ defender Kegan Johannes insists they are not focusing on the advantage they have but are working on getting positive results consistently.
“When it comes to winning, it’s about the attitude of the players. From the coach’s side, training and implementing it in the game and the discipline,” he said, as quoted by the Sowetan.
“It’s never easy to remain this consistent, but we try our best and take it one game at a time. We don’t look at five games ahead, but look at what we have to do now to better ourselves to get the results.”
Stellies working to upset Sundowns
Meanwhile, Stellenbosch midfielder Genino Palace is confident his team can frustrate the favourites on Wednesday night.
“It’s important for us to continue with our momentum and not drop too many points,” he opened up to the club’s media department.
“We have to take it game by game, starting with Sundowns. The mood of the squad is good, and Friday’s win has given us confidence heading into the game. We’ve just got to go out there, give our best, and try to come away with the points.
“We’ve had positive results against them in the past, and I think we can do the same this time. If we approach the game the right way, there’s no reason we can’t get something out of it,” Palace added.
Pirates crossing fingers, but…
Orlando Pirates hope Stellenbosch can stop Sundowns from collecting maximum points despite playing away in Pretoria.
However, Bucs have a massive task on Sunday when they play Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby at the FNB Stadium, a game they must win at all costs to stay in the race.
Source: GOAL
