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Sundowns compete in another space‚ says Mosimane after Baroka loss

Pitso Mosimane, coach of Mamelodi Sundowns arrives during the 2018 MTN8 quarter finals match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria on 11August 2018.
Pitso Mosimane, coach of Mamelodi Sundowns arrives during the 2018 MTN8 quarter finals match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria on 11August 2018.
Image: ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to keep up the pace with early-season pacesetters Bidvest Wits when they host unpredictable Free State Stars in their Absa Premiership encounter at Loftus on Wednesday.

Victory for the Brazilians‚ which would be their fourth in nine matches‚ will see them close the gap on Wits to three points with a game in hand – but that mission will not be easy against a Stars who want to cement a place in the top eight.

For Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane‚ three points would also be the first time in the league this season he would have overseen two successive wins. Stars coach Luc Eymael is targeting a return to winning ways after back-to-back draws against Golden Arrows and Black Leopards.

Mosimane said Sundowns have moved on from their 2-0 Telkom Knockout quarterfinal defeat to Baroka FC on Saturday and are focused on what remains for the rest of the year.

“We’ve got the league now‚ which is more important. We also have the Champions League‚ which starts in four weeks’ time‚ so we’ve got to focus on what is coming‚” he said.

“You can’t have everything. The boys were texting each other while watching the Caf Champions League final last Friday saying that we should have been there and that’s the space we operate in‚ at an international level.

“We represent South Africa to make sure that you get the rankings to have two teams in the Champions League and two teams in the Caf Confederation Cup‚ like Orlando Pirates have done.

“But I understand that here at home we care more about the domestic competitions. We don’t know international football‚ most of us.

“You ask me if I want to win the Champions League or the Telkom Knockout? You know the answer.

“The star on top of the badge is the biggest thing ever. If it’s easy‚ then how many teams have a star on top of their badge?”

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