With all eyes on the Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs this afternoon, Mamelodi Sundowns will have to pull up their socks when they come up against tricky Richards Bay at the uMhlathuzi Sports Precinct later in the day. The Sundowns and Richards Bay encounter will kick off at 5:30pm.
This past Wednesday, Sundowns slightly opened the door for log-leaders Pirates after they slipped up against Stellenbosch FC in their 1-1 draw, and they cannot afford to drop more points if they want to thwart the challenge from the determined Buccaneers this season.
Sundowns and Pirates, who have finished second in the last three seasons, are involved in a cat-and-mouse chase at the top of the Betway Premiership table with the league race approaching the business end. Sundowns are left with six matches, while Pirates have five rounds left to finish the season.
The PSL defending champions are trailing Pirates by one point, but they have a game in hand, which could come in very handy, but only if they reclaim their fearsome aura and get back to winning ways. Against Stellies, Sundowns were a little lethargic and could not shift a gear up.
They had taken an early lead via the boot of Katlego Ntsabeleng but they missed a handful of scoring opportunities upfront. The referee also did not help as he ruled out what seemed like a legitimate goal from Tashreeq Matthews, something that frustrated and angered coach Miguel Cardoso.
Sundowns striker Arthur Sales believes the draw has pushed them to go all out against Richards Bay: “I think it is a good step to improve after the draw, and the draw has pushed us to do better today. It will be a tough game, and I think we need to show our fans something. We feel like we must give them something.
“It is nice to play in front of a full stadium – the match is sold out because everyone likes to watch us play. We need the fans, they believe in us, and we need to show our full force in the game and get the three points,” he said.
The Rich Boys have improved significantly, and they are turning their home ground into a fortress. They held Pirates to a 2-2 draw and also recorded an away 1-0 win against TS Galaxy last week. So, they will be a tough nut to crack if Sundowns underestimates them.
- The Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is the main focus this afternoon.
- Mamelodi Sundowns face Richards Bay later today at the uMhlathuzi Sports Precinct.
- The Sundowns vs. Richards Bay match is scheduled to start at 5:30pm.
- The article emphasizes the challenge Sundowns will have against a tricky Richards Bay side.
- Full story details are available in the e-edition of Sunday World.
“It is nice to play in front of a full stadium – the match is sold out because everyone likes to watch us play. We need the fans, they believe in us, and we need to show our full force in the game and get the three points,” he said.
