Ahead of their tough fixture against third-placed Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Wednesday, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says the team are at a stage where they cannot afford to drop any points as they look to clinch their ninth consecutive league title.
With three matches remaining, Masandawana are in pole position to reclaim their league crown as they are five points clear of their nearest rivals, Orlando Pirates, having played one game more.
Pirates are in action on Tuesday away to Stellenbosch, where they will look to win and reduce the gap to two points. However, a victory against Amakhosi on Wednesday would ensure the Brazilians keep the title destiny in their own hands.
Cardoso said they will go all out to win the match.
“We need to be very strong in the way we approach every match...” — Carlos Cardoso
“I think we need to get all the points we have left. It’s a story that still needs to be written, and we must do it if we want to succeed,” he said.
“Then, we won’t depend on others, and we shouldn’t. We should just focus on ourselves. We are in a moment where all matches become high-level. This is a big challenge ahead.
“There’s almost a week and a half left, and everything will be finished. We need to be very strong in the way we approach every match like we have been doing consistently.”
With Chiefs having not played since their 2-0 defeat to Siwelele last week, Cardoso is worried that Amakhosi will be fresh while his side has played back-to-back matches.
“It’s quite a big match in SA, so we have to go for it and try to make it as best as we can so that we can get points. We need points to proceed, so the objective is the same,” Cardoso said.
“We don’t have a lot of time. We have two days and then we are playing again. As you can imagine, the recovery process for us is the most important.
“They [Chiefs] haven’t played for a very long time. What that means is that they will come with full energy, but we will also come with full energy, that’s for sure.”
Sundowns beat Polokwane City twice in succession — a 3-0 win at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday and a 1-0 win at Seshego Stadium on Wednesday — and will look to continue that momentum.
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