Mamelodi Sundowns eye victory over Orlando Pirates to cement title in crucial clash

Orlando Pirates’ chances of exacting revenge for the 4-1 defeat they suffered against Mamelodi Sundowns are as slim as their hopes of pulling the rug from under the Brazilians in the championship race.

The Buccaneers host the runaway Betway Premiership leaders at the FNB Stadium on Sunday, looking for a victory that would help close the 18-point gap that Sundowns currently enjoy. But listening to Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso speak ahead of the match, it’s clear that it will take something special for Pirates to emerge victorious.

The Portuguese tactician’s approach — not only to this match but to the entire championship race — leaves very little room for complacency. Granted, the Sundowns players have been winning championships for years, and it is unlikely they will take their eye off the ball or become big-headed and start thinking the title is already won.

Yet, with a coach as single-minded as Cardoso, everything points to yet another victorious outing for the champions this weekend. Speaking during the club’s media conference ahead of the clash, the former Espérance coach again came across as a man determined not to let his players veer off course.

While most of the country has essentially crowned Sundowns the inaugural Betway Premiership champions, Cardoso is not even thinking about the title.

“We see this one as the next match to be played; a match that we need to approach in a similar way to the previous ones — studying our opponents as much as possible.

"How they play, who they can have in their line-up, what characteristics they’ve been showing, what they can do that they didn’t do in the previous match to create some surprises. We want to understand the entire environment of the game and then pass on the important details to the players, working on their confidence to do what we’ve done in the past.”

Such is Cardoso’s focus that he claims not to know much about other teams and their positions on the table until he is about to face them, at which point he sets his sights on preparing for them. The belief that his Sundowns side are already champions does not change his approach.

“How I see the championship is the same as when I arrived here. This is a championship in which teams can lose points in any game — at home or away — against any opponent.

"Whatever happens in this match against Pirates, our approach will remain the same. The biggest responsibility is always the next match. If you don’t focus on the next match and instead look too far ahead, you will be in trouble.”

Sundowns have played 22 matches and amassed 58 points, while their adversaries have 40 points from four matches fewer.

As much as Cardoso sees things differently, the reality is that should they beat Pirates on Sunday, Sundowns will be as good as champions. It would take a capitulation of epic proportions for the Buccaneers to overtake them at the top of the table.