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Downs facing tricky united

MAMELODI Sundowns's road to redemption gets no easier as they face the team that sparked last year'scalamitous decline, Maritzburg United, in Port Elizabeth tonight.

A Delron Buckley brace not only gave United a surprise victory against their wealthier opponents, it also sparked Sundowns supporter violence as well as the club's worst start to an Absa Premiership campaign.

The Brazilians went on an epic eight-match winless run after that, which ended with coach Johan Neeskens walking the plank.

This is new broom Pitso Mosimane's chance to show spectators that he has transformed the rudderless Sundowns he inherited into the winners they once were.

With two wins and three draws since taking charge at the club he once played for, Mosimane's team has shown small signs of a revival - pity about the Africa Cup of Nations break and the 0-0 against Kaizer Chiefs on the resumption of the league that followed.

Though goals have trickled and not flowed in, the defence has at least plugged the gaps.

United coach Ernst Middendorp is quietly confident that they might pull off another shock result, engineered again by Buckley.

"You'd actually be surprised... but let's wait and see," he said wryly, when replying to questions over whether his team can do the "double" over The Brazilians.

"Every coach is dreaming about having such a high-class selection of players (as Downs do) but there's always a chance to win games in the PSL.

"I don't think Sundowns will send players to specifically mark Delron, they will be confident enough (of winning) without doing this."

What will matter most in this Absa Premiership clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (8pm kickoff) is whether Sundowns can get around United's largely spoiling, defence-based tactics through the likes of Elias Pelembe and Themba Zwane.

Middendorp has not been shy to put five defenders on the field, unleashing their fury on the shins of opponents, and is likely to do the same with the return of Ruben Cloete from suspension.

l Lamontville Golden Arrows look set to add to AmaZulu's relegation blues when they meet in a KwaZulu-Natal derby at King Zwelithini Stadium tomorrow at 6pm.

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