Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to take three points on the road when they travel to the Orlando Stadium on Sunday evening to take on Orlando Pirates in the DStv Premiership. The meeting comes just two weeks after the two sides met in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final, where The Brazilians came out on top on the day, winning emphatically 4-1.
Ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash, Coach Rulani Mokwena shared his impressions on the opponents from Soweto: “Pirates are a very big club, it would be naive of us to go into the game without humility and without respecting the fact that they are a good team with very good players. [They] are a team that have a clear playing profile and a clear way of doing things and you’ve got to be very careful that you are able to control their most dangerous aspects.”
Downs go into the first fixture of the new month on the back of a hectic April schedule, which saw the team compete in the CAF Champions League, the Nedbank Cup and the DStv Premiership, where the team have recently had a hiccup, drawing twice and losing once in their previous three games. Despite the recent speedbumps, Coach Rulani remained positive that the team has enough character to prevail through the business end of the season.
“The message that we are trying to get across to the players is that everything is in our control. Let the games continue, I think everybody knows what happens when Mamelodi Sundowns has their backs against the wall and are moving into a space where they can see the finish line.”
On the injury front, Coach Mokwena gave an update on the players that will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s action.
“The data shows that Pirates take 10 to 12 seconds to get into the final third and create possibilities, even when we played them that’s where their chances came from.
“Peter completed a full training session [on Wednesday], so we will see whether he is able to complete a tactical session. Gaston will be assessed [today] as he missed the game with muscle complications, Mweene also. The medical department will give us a directive.”
What is in our control Rhulani the two games in hand or what no wonder our players are so casual together with you coaches because you have still that belief of everything in our control but let’s wait and see.
Another question I’m asking you Wisemen what the data tells you about our culprits who continued to repeat same mistakes almost in every games.
Just for once pls swallow your pride and field the players that are deserving to be in starting line up not on reputation, as far as I heard all our players are not injured which means are ready to be selected, lastly I wonder what will happened in our match against Al Alhly if we continue to disappoint like this really I’m afraid.
COACH THE PROBLEM I’M SEEING WITH SUNDOWNS THEY PLAY MORE POSITION FOOTBALL WITH NO THREAT TO OPPONENTS THEY TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TO CREATE SCORING OPPORTUNITIES HENCE MANY DRAWS
sundowns side line old thats let team started with them whats wrong to Kekana .Nasciment Manqoba did same at Amazulu was almost relagated
Manqoba must act as all coaches do give instructions to players even if team struggling he wait half even big coaches stand on touchline encourages players does he knows too much better than Pep not even closer
aMaZulu are topping the league now hope you know what it means,we did ourselves difficult by taking things for granted thinking we are invincible and always casual, let’s see how are you gonna take you out on this dilemma.
I don’t see us winning the league with the mentality of those coaches, you out of nedbank and we are going to lose the league Caz players and the coaches are too casual ooh you are failing the yellow Nation
I don’t think we will today for the past 3 games we did not have shots on target hence we don’t create chances
We might win today member. Pirates play an open game unlike the other teams who park the bus and try to catch us on the counter. That’s why even Pitso liked to play them
We won yey