Johannes urges Downs to reclaim top spot

Buoyed by their CAF Champions League successive finals, Mamelodi Sundowns have set their sights on reclaiming their top spot in the league when they host Stellenbosch at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight (7.30pm).

Masandawana are two points behind leaders Orlando Pirates, having played two games less, and a win against Stellenbosch tonight will be enough to see them return to the summit of the table.

The Brazilians are in exceptional form, having won all 10 league matches since the beginning of the year. Their consistency has been remarkable, collecting 30 points.

Also, at home, they’re undefeated this season and will take something special from Stellies to end that impressive run. Their recent performances in the Champions League have also been impressive, with back-to-back wins over Esperance in the semifinal.

Defender Kegan Johannes said they must continue with such momentum. “When it comes to winning, it’s about the attitude of the players. From the coach’s side, training and implementing it in the game and the discipline,” he said.

“It’s never easy to remain this consistent, but we try our best and take it one game at a time. We don’t look at five games ahead, but look at what we have to do now to better ourselves to get the results.”

Stellies, however, will approach this fixture with renewed confidence after a convincing 3-1 home win against Sekhukhune United on Friday.

But they face a daunting challenge against Sundowns, as they have lost all five previous league meetings against Masandawana, including a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

Stellies midfielder Genino Palace, however, said they are optimistic they can upset Sundowns tonight despite not enjoying a good run against them. “It’s important for us to continue with our momentum and not drop too many points,” he told the club media department.

“We have to take it game by game, starting with Sundowns. The mood of the squad is good, and Friday’s win has given us confidence heading into the game. We’ve just got to go out there, give our best, and try to come away with the points.

“We’ve had positive results against them in the past, and I think we can do the same this time. If we approach the game the right way, there’s no reason we can’t get something out of it.”