Sundowns seek year-end lift in tricky Siwelele encounter

Mamelodi Sundowns could be heading into one of the sternest examinations of their eight-year rule over the Betway Premiership.

Fresh from their latest continental assignments, they approach the end of the calendar year needing to make up ground — a situation that has become unfamiliar for a side accustomed to leading from the front.

The Brazilians will meet Siwelele FC in a Betway Premiership match on Wednesday at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium (7.30pm kick-off), where they will attempt to close the three-point gap that Orlando Pirates have opened. Both teams have played 12 matches, but Pirates currently enjoy a three-point advantage, adding extra urgency to Sundowns’ midweek assignment.

Although the league table may imply that Miguel Cardoso’s side should cruise through this contest — an assumption strengthened by the depth and talent within the Sundowns squad — the reality is often very different for any team travelling to the lively Bloemfontein venue.

The atmosphere generated by the Siwelele faithful regularly lifts Lehlohonolo Seema and his players, making it a challenging place to secure maximum points.

Cardoso will be eager for his side to return to their fluid, dominant best as they prepare for another key away fixture. This comes after their goalless draw against MC Alger in their second CAF Champions League group stages match last Friday, a match in which he felt his side showed maturity and control, even if they were unable to return with more than a point.

“In Champions League matches it’s very important to be clever, and Sundowns was a very clever team on the pitch. Cardoso said.

“We didn’t get to the box as many times as we would have wanted. A game with goals would have been much more spectacular, and maybe had we opened ourselves more, we could have scored, but we could have also suffered as well, and in that moment you lose control of the result.

“I thought Sundowns had a good match, and the players have to be congratulated because they controlled the game. The few moments we saw from MC Alger came from the losses of the balls we had in the middle due to the pressure that was applied by their front players.”

Their last away league outing brought a surprising 1–0 defeat for the Brazilians at the hands of Golden Arrows at the King Zwelithini Stadium, where they were undone by their former coach, now Arrows mentor, Manqoba Mnqithi. 

Since then, however, Cardoso’s men have responded positively, putting together a three-match unbeaten run heading into this fixture.

Similar to the clash against MC Alger, Sundowns struggled to break down a compact defensive structure. Seema’s team have recently shown impressive discipline at the back, conceding just 12 goals in 14 matches — the lowest among the bottom-half teams — and this defensive resilience means Sundowns will need to be precise and patient in their approach.

This will be the Chloorkop-based outfit's final match of the year. After the international break, they will return with a home clash against Orbit College. With Orlando Pirates posing a serious threat, especially with a lighter schedule after exiting continental competition and with a Carling Knockout final looming this weekend, Sundowns cannot afford to drop more points moving ahead.