It's the sort of strategy teams prefer to employ against the Brazilians but and it has a mixed bag of results.

Sundowns have drawn 10 league games, six in 2012 alone, and they have had to go through frustrating periods in several of their cup games this season.

Maritzburg United went for a similar approach against Sundowns but still got knocked out of the Nedbank Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

Downs coach Johan Neeskens said he wasn't surprised by the stifling tactics as he watched his team take another giant step towards ending a four-year trophy drought by advancing to the semifinals.

"Everybody does it against us ... the defensive approach, but we've managed to win games," said Neeskens. "We are still top on the log and we'll keep our focus on our game."

Neeskens' United counterpart, Ernst Middendorp, bemoaned the absence of key players Kurt Lentjies, Prince Olomu and Felix Obada: "They could have got to the end of one of those several crosses played into the area."

Not many coaches have put Sundowns on the brink of such a rare achievement in a maiden season, but it looks like the Dutchman might win the league and cup double.

With Chiefs now out of the tourney, Sundowns are firm favourites to reach the final. and possibly capture their second Nedbank Cup.

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Sat May 18 12:52:48 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 16, 2012

sakhomba

@Kgomosto Sethusha
Kgomotso o bua o kare Chimps are playing this amazing soccer whilst they actually speel kak.
they were never favourites from the start you poep hol.
As Jomo Sono once said, there are no ways that you can beat both Chiefs and Pirates on the way to any cup final and not lift it. Downs are chokers and like Chiefs, hulle kry fokol this season.
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Apr 16, 2012

langman

sakhomba
@Kgomosto Sethusha
Kgomotso o bua o kare Chimps are playing this amazing soccer whilst they actually speel kak.
they were never favourites from the start you poep hol.
As Jomo Sono once said, there are no ways that you can beat both Chiefs and Pirates on the way to any cup final and not lift it. Downs are chokers and like Chiefs, hulle kry fokol this season.
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Bo bolaya ke motete , just because your team was knocked out , now Sundowns are chokers jou poep hol
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Apr 17, 2012

McClaren

I gues we wil jst hv to wait and see if stars can defend succesfuly against the #1 team
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