Pitso Mosimane was at pains to play down Mamelodi Sundowns's rise in the Absa Premiership following a clinical 3-0 dispatching of Maritzburg United at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
The Sundowns coach was pleased with his players' execution of their plan without having to raise too much of a sweat against a struggling United side.
But he warned Downs fans not to get excited after the Brazilians won four of their last five matches and drew the other one.
"To score three goals is good, especially keeping zero behind. I think it's the third or fourth game we've kept a clean sheet, and it looks good," Mosimane said after the game.
He said he was happy for Downs to remain in the back seat in the PSL race so early in the season.
"I'm happy if we remain third, and Mpumalanga Black Aces, Platinum Stars and [Bidvest] Wits can lead us because it's only nine games played. So it's OK to leave it for now," the former Bafana Bafana coach said.
"... But I think it's temporary. I think Wits have got quality and Platinum have games in hand.
"So we should not be too excited. But it's OK."
Mosimane was glad that, with the PSL programme congested and demanding at the moment, Downs could win in economical fashion.
After Themba Zwane put the Pretoria team in front in the ninth minute and Wayne Arendse headed onto the upright four minutes later, United rallied and frustrated the Brazilians.
Sundowns came out patiently probing in the second half, and Tebogo Langerman (66th minute) and substitute Surprise Moriri (90th) added the second and third goals.
United coach Clive Barker looked for the positives in a seventh defeat from eight games for a team still seeking their first victory, and rooted in last place on one point.
"I thought we played in patches. We didn't necessarily have too many chances, but I still think there were things in the game that were good for us. We passed the ball accurately, we kept it sometimes, others we gave it away in silly situations," Barker said.
"A second goal for them was always going to change it, and they got it."
Maritzburg host Polokwane City at Harry Gwala Stadium tomorrow night.
Fixtures (all starting at 7.30pm)
TOMORROW
FNB Stadium: Kaizer Chiefs v Golden Arrows, Mbombela: Aces v Jomo Cosmos, Harry Gwala Stadium: Maritzburg v Polokwane City
WEDNESDAY
Cape Town Stadium: Ajax Cape Town v Orlando Pirates, Peter Mokaba Stadium: SuperSport United v Bloemfontein Celtic, Royal Bafokeng: Platinum Stars v Wits, Nelson Mandela Bay: Chippa United v Mamelodi Sundowns
Pitso tries to calm expectations despite impressive win
Pitso Mosimane was at pains to play down Mamelodi Sundowns's rise in the Absa Premiership following a clinical 3-0 dispatching of Maritzburg United at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
The Sundowns coach was pleased with his players' execution of their plan without having to raise too much of a sweat against a struggling United side.
But he warned Downs fans not to get excited after the Brazilians won four of their last five matches and drew the other one.
"To score three goals is good, especially keeping zero behind. I think it's the third or fourth game we've kept a clean sheet, and it looks good," Mosimane said after the game.
He said he was happy for Downs to remain in the back seat in the PSL race so early in the season.
"I'm happy if we remain third, and Mpumalanga Black Aces, Platinum Stars and [Bidvest] Wits can lead us because it's only nine games played. So it's OK to leave it for now," the former Bafana Bafana coach said.
"... But I think it's temporary. I think Wits have got quality and Platinum have games in hand.
"So we should not be too excited. But it's OK."
Mosimane was glad that, with the PSL programme congested and demanding at the moment, Downs could win in economical fashion.
After Themba Zwane put the Pretoria team in front in the ninth minute and Wayne Arendse headed onto the upright four minutes later, United rallied and frustrated the Brazilians.
Sundowns came out patiently probing in the second half, and Tebogo Langerman (66th minute) and substitute Surprise Moriri (90th) added the second and third goals.
United coach Clive Barker looked for the positives in a seventh defeat from eight games for a team still seeking their first victory, and rooted in last place on one point.
"I thought we played in patches. We didn't necessarily have too many chances, but I still think there were things in the game that were good for us. We passed the ball accurately, we kept it sometimes, others we gave it away in silly situations," Barker said.
"A second goal for them was always going to change it, and they got it."
Maritzburg host Polokwane City at Harry Gwala Stadium tomorrow night.
Fixtures (all starting at 7.30pm)
TOMORROW
FNB Stadium: Kaizer Chiefs v Golden Arrows, Mbombela: Aces v Jomo Cosmos, Harry Gwala Stadium: Maritzburg v Polokwane City
WEDNESDAY
Cape Town Stadium: Ajax Cape Town v Orlando Pirates, Peter Mokaba Stadium: SuperSport United v Bloemfontein Celtic, Royal Bafokeng: Platinum Stars v Wits, Nelson Mandela Bay: Chippa United v Mamelodi Sundowns
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