Downs aim to reclaim top spot on the log by beating Royal AM

Mamelodi Sundowns will host struggling Royal AM at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday night in an attempt to move back up the Betway Premiership log standings.

After the Orlando Pirates defeated SuperSport United 2-0 at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night after a fierce battle, Sundowns fell to second place.

After four games, Masandwana are currently three points behind the Buccaneers, who lead with 12 points.

The Brazilians suffered a minor setback at the beginning of the season when they lost back-to-back games to Stellenbosch in the semi-finals of the MTN8, but they have since recovered and won consecutive games across all competitions.

Recently, Manqoba Mngqithi, the head coach, has also made headlines for leaving out Teboho Mokoena and Khuliso Mudau.

However, the two have since been progressively reintegrated into the team, with Mokoena making his first appearance on the pitch since September in the Carling Knockout match against the Golden Arrows.

Midfielder Lebohang Maboe, who has seen some action under Mngqithi, stated that they anticipate a difficult match against Royal AM because they are aware that the KwaZulu-Natal team will probably sit back and defend for the majority of the match.

We can break down any defence

“I think they [the Royal AM] will sit back, and they won’t be as adventurous as other teams have been against us,” Maboe said.

“We’ve got a great squad, and we’ve got players that can break down any defence on any given day. Playing for Sundowns, we’ve got a big responsibility of putting smiles on the faces of our fans.

“So, I think it’s also important for us to put a team in a good position by winning the game because it’s important in our home game to collect three points.” 

Despite their confidence going into the match, Maboe stated that they will be cautious of the threat that Royal AM is likely to present because they have drawn their first four league games.

“I’m expecting a big fight. I think they’re a team that hasn’t been doing quite well in the previous games,” Mable cautioned. 

“As you know, any team that comes against us will be willing to sweat blood. They are not a team that plays a lot from the back; they play from second balls, and if we can manage the second ball, then we have a great chance of winning the game.”