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Mosimane's Sundowns turn their attention to domestic league title chase

Pitso Mosimane, head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns and Faouzi Benzarti, head coach of Wydad Athletic Club during the 2019 TOTAL CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad Athletic Club at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco 26 April 2019.
Pitso Mosimane, head coach of Mamelodi Sundowns and Faouzi Benzarti, head coach of Wydad Athletic Club during the 2019 TOTAL CAF Champions League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad Athletic Club at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco 26 April 2019.
Image: EPA/STR

Pitso Mosimane and his Mamelodi Sundowns charges return to Loftus Stadium on Tuesday night to seek redemption in the domestic Premiership just days after their heartbreaking exit from the Caf Champions League.

Sundowns exited the continental club tournament in the semifinal stage after their 2-1 aggregate defeat to Morocco's Wydad Casablanca at the weekend and the domestic league title is now their last opportunity to salvage some silverware this season.

The Brazilians remain second on the Absa Premiership standings and go into Tuesday night's league encounter against Lamontville Golden Arrows trailing leaders Orlando Pirates by a point but with a game in hand.

A win for Sundowns against Arrows will see them displace Pirates at the summit and establish a two points lead with one round of league matches remaining.

Mosimane said he expects a tough outing against Arrows and will not take anything for granted.

“Do we have a guarantee on Tuesday?” asked Mosimane.

“I don’t like to get excited too quickly because anything is possible on Tuesday.

"You can’t celebrate first‚ you have to win first and after you win then it will be a different story.”

Mosimane said they will have to manage the game as it will be their sixth in fifteen days while Arrows are rested.

“We still have to win the game against Arrows because a game in hand is not a game won‚" he said.

"This will be the sixth game in fifteen days for these boys and it is not easy.

"I think you know how well rested Arrows are.

“This one is going to be an emotional game‚ so I don’t think physique will say much.

"We just have to control the game‚ play the Sundowns way and I believe that we can win it.

"But having said that‚ Pirates believed they could beat Cape Town City remember? (Pirates dropped two priceless points in a game that ended in a potentially title-deciding 2-2 draw).

“It is football‚ so let’s see what happens on Tuesday.

"We have come far with all the travelling‚ the games‚ the stresses‚ the pressures and Rabat to Thohoyandou was the big one.

"I never thought we would come back from Thohoyandou but we managed to do it‚” he said‚ adding that Pirates are still very much in the title race.

“Pirates are still in it and they tried hard.

"They kept the same team for two years‚ they kept the coach‚ increased the personnel and they really showed that they want it.

"I have said that they can win it and if they win it I will really give congratulations to Milutin Sredojevic‚ Rulani Mokwena and Fadlu Davids.

"To win the Champions League or the league title is not easy but Champions League is played in a different way and on a different level.”

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