Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has identified what could separate them and Orlando Pirates in the race for the championship this season.
Both Sundowns and Pirates have a 100 percent record in the Betway Premiership, with four victories each. They remain the only two clubs that have won every match this season and while it's still early in the campaign, they are creating a lot of excitement in what could be an epic race for the title.
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Sundowns reclaimed top spot on Wednesday evening with a lacklustre 2-1 victory over Royal AM at Loftus Stadium, thanks to goals from Sphelele Mkhulise and Khuliso Mudau. After the match, Mngqithi was asked about the threat of Pirates and gave a response that will no doubt spur the Buccaneers on to prove him wrong.
"I think I said it from the beginning that they are going to be pushing. I do hope and pray they have the depth to carry themselves during the group stages and the league, because I think maybe that's where the separation will take place. I do believe they are a very good team and they try to rotate the squad. Unfortunately it did not work out very well in the Carling (Knockout), but I think that they are a team that will pose a lot of problems," Mngqithi said after the match.
"But I still maintain that they are a team that does not do well against small teams. So far they have done really well, but let's continue and see because that's where the championship could be decided."
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Sundowns were not their ruthless selves against Royal AM as Mngqithi admitted that his players were at times casual. Mngqithi does, however, feel that the wholesale changes contributed to that, as he brought in Khuliso Mudau, Grant Kekana, Divine Lunga, Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, Sphelele Mkhulise, Peter Shaulile and Thembinkosi Lorch to replace Thapelo Morena, Mosa Lebusa, Asekho Tiwani, Lebohang Maboe, Marcelo Allende, Rivaldo Coetzee Tashreeq Matthews and Iqraam Rayners.
"When you make so many changes, the rhythm is not the same. The tenacity is not the same, the personnel is not the same and to a certain extent it will bring certain elements of inconsistency in our football actions. I still believe the team we played today was a very good team, but it's just that with almost wholesome changes, it makes it difficult to have the same stability and cohesion and it's a risk we are taking because we are trying to manage our squad and make sure that we always have a potentially fresh team for every match that we are playing and also not try to burn our players too early."
By Tshepang Mailwane
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