Mamelodi Sundowns aren't likely to rotate players despite their congested fixture list, co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has said.
Their chock-a-block schedule after they thumped Orlando Pirates on Thursday night has lined up Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the Nedbank Cup semifinals this afternoon and then three consecutive DStv Premiership encounters against AmaZulu, Kaizer Chiefs and Golden Arrows before the end of April.
Pirates host Downs at Orlando Stadium on May 2.
"I do not think we will rest any player for these upcoming matches. The reason why we played the team that we did against CR Belouizdad is because at the back of our minds we were already looking at these three or four matches, which was Chippa, Pirates, potentially TTM or Maritzburg if we did not go through and then AmaZulu," Mngqithi told journalists.
Downs lost for the first time in 28 games when a second string side failed to hold their own against the Algerians in the CAF Champions League.
Fortunately for the Brazilians, the match was a dead rubber with qualification to the quarterfinals already sealed.
"So that's why we took a risk of not playing most of our key players because we felt we could still get something from that match without them," the coach added.
"We believe the group that we have must give it their best shot in the next five matches because those matches can be very critical. Maybe they can even decide our season. We will not be hoping to rest anyone. I don't think we can think like that now, all these matches are very important to us."
Sundowns, the league title holders, are top of the table, six points clear with two games in hand – and they are also the Nedbank Cup defending champions.
