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Form for form as Sundowns meet their match

Sekhukhune's four wins in a row give Rulani a headache

Neville Khoza Journalist
Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundowns is shadowed by Pogiso Sanoka of TS Galaxy during their Dstv Premiership match at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundowns is shadowed by Pogiso Sanoka of TS Galaxy during their Dstv Premiership match at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Sekhukhune United’s recent form has Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena concerned ahead of their clash at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (3.30pm).

Fresh from extending their record of successive wins in the league to 13 following a 2-1 hard-fought victory over TS Galaxy on Tuesday at Mbombela Stadium, Sundowns are aiming to continue with their dominance of the DStv Premiership.

They come up against a Sekhukhune side who have soared from the relegation zone to fifth with four wins and a draw since Brandon Truter took over as coach. Babina Noko have won all their past four games.

That’s the reason Mokwena feels they will come up against a tough side at home on Saturday. 

“Yeah, a tough team playing with inverted full backs and they play very similar to how Truter’s Swallows team play,” Mokwena told the media after the match.

“Of course, with different players and different individual qualities and experienced players in the team, it’s going to be a difficult game. Now it is recovery trying to get back to Joburg and we do our analysis of this game and pick up things we have to improve on.

“Then we will do opposition analysis after that, but step by step, one day at a time and continue to work with a lot of calmness and keep our feet on the ground.”

Mokwena was also happy with Sundowns’ positive result, despite fielding a vastly different team against Galaxy. There were seven changes to the starting line-up from their 1-0 league win against Kaizer Chiefs last Saturday.

Goals from Rushine de Reuck and Peter Shalulile either side of halftime saw Sundowns collect all three points, while Junior Traoré scored the consolation for Galaxy from the penalty spot in added time.

“It’s a huge compliment to the group. We are a good team with very good players, and we have very good human beings in the changing room,” Mokwena said.

“There were a lot of good performers and it was a very good team performance. Of course, if you have a very good team performance, it means you will have some very good standout performers, and that’s what we had on the pitch.”

Tomorrow: Stellenbosch v CPT City, Danie Craven 7.30pm.

Saturday: Sundowns v Sekhukhune, Loftus, 3.30pm; Swallows v SuperSport, Dobsonville, 5.30pm; Gallants v Pirates, Royal Bafokeng, 8pm.

Sunday: Richards Bay v AmaZulu, King Zwelithini, 3.30pm; Chippa v Maritzburg, Nelson Mandela Bay, 3.30pm; Chiefs v Royal AM, Peter Mokaba, 5.30pm; Galaxy v Arrows, Mbombela, 5.30pm.

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