MAMELODI Sundowns have vowed to bring Santos down to earth when they battle it out in an Absa Premiership match at Super Stadium in Atteridgeville tonight.

MAMELODI Sundowns have vowed to bring Santos down to earth when they battle it out in an Absa Premiership match at Super Stadium in Atteridgeville tonight.

"We have a score to settle with Santos, they beat us 1-0 in the first round," said Alex "Goldfinger" Shakoane, Sundowns' publicist, ahead of their 7.30pm clash.

"This is a perfect opportunity for us to avenge the defeat. For us the most important thing is to win the game and consolidate our challenge for the league. We owe it to our supporters to do well. The aim is to win the league but we still have to work hard.

"The most important thing is consistency. Our supporters have been doing a great job, the support base has also improved tremendously. We cannot afford to let them down," Shakoane said.

He also confirmed that goalkeeper Calvin Marlin has extended his stay at Downs by another three seasons, a day after the club signed Wayne Sandilands from Platinum Stars.

Edries Burton, Santos chief operations officer, said: "It will be a tough one, but we are going with one thing in mind - to get positive results."

Downs will pin their hopes on the likes of Benedict Vilakazi, Mabhuti Khenyeza and Katlego Mphela to send Santos back home empty-handed.

Former Sundowns striker Tyren Arendse, who scored the first-round goal in Cape Town, will lead the Santos attack.

l In Mangaung, Bloemfontein Celtic are out to add to Bidvest Wits woes when they meet at Seisa Ramabodu Stadium at 7.30pm tonight.

Kumbulani Konco, Celtic's director of operations, said: "Wits have some brilliant players like Calvin Kadi and Tefu Mashamaite, but we're ready. We are playing at home, so there is no need to donate a single point."

l Platinum Stars and Maritzburg United meet at Woodburn Stadium at 7.30pm today where Steve Komphela's Stars should grab maximum points.