Mamelodi Sundowns will attempt to complete a Tshwane Derby double against SuperSport United on Friday when they travel to Lucas Moripe Stadium. The Brazilians delivered a dominant performance against Matsatsantsa on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the MTN8. Downs hold the upper hand when it comes to recent results between themselves and United. Co-Coach Manqoba Mngqithi regards the contest as highly competitive as they prepare for their next league match against Tshwane rivals.
“Playing SuperSport is always a difficult match, regardless of the competition, the number of times you’ve played them, or the outcome of the prior matches, so we anticipate yet another difficult contest. It took us 80 minutes to break down the opposition in the previous match, and we anticipate a similar clash, which is always intense, very combative, and plenty of aerial battles, and against a formidable opponent.
“[They are] taught by one of the top coaches in the country, so we must be prepared for a highly competitive match and never take anything for granted. This past weekend’s encounter was not an easy one, so we all know what to anticipate.”
Masandawana secured the victory in the Tshwane derby with barely 20 minutes remaining. Substitutes Marcelo Allende and Abubeker Nasir won the home team a spot in the MTN8 semi-finals. The next competitive match between Bafana Ba Style and Matsatsantsa is set for this coming Friday at the home of United. According to Coach Manqoba, one of the players who scored in the previous match may start in this match.
“There is a chance that one of them will start, but we’ll have to wait and see what transpires in our matchday minus one training session. I don’t believe there would be a desire to start them; rather, it would be based on the internal processes we are filling out, such as the number of minutes we believe they can play.”
It was never a question of whether they could start the match or not; rather, it was a question of how far they could go in a match, and they’ve already played two matches as substitutes.
In recent years, the Tshwane giants have demonstrated their dominance in the Premier Soccer League, and they are regarded as dominant in all of their contests. Downs have recorded three victories in their first five league matches. Coach Manqoba explained their approach to games by stating, “With our periodization, it’s always vital to remember that we don’t want to start on a high note.
“It’s a positive sign if you win your first five games, but keep in mind that you’re still in the preseason. Considering that we are anticipated to play two to three matches every week over the next two months, it is essential that we correctly periodize our work so that we don’t tire out too quickly and are ready to play until the very end. It’s going to be even more tough for many clubs to deal with that, but maybe we’ll be able to handle it a little bit better since we’ve been in this situation for so long with the Champions League and all the other games we play per season.”
Mamelodi Sundowns play SuperSport United at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday in the DStv Premiership. The game will begin at 19:30 on SuperSport.