City aim to add to Downs' woes

Sundowns aim to hit back after Polokwane loss

Neville Khoza Journalist
Cape Town City FC coach Eric Tinkler
Cape Town City FC coach Eric Tinkler
Image: Lefty Shivambu

While Mamelodi Sundowns will want an immediate response when they welcome Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld Stadium this evening (7.30pm) following a shock 0-1 defeat to Polokwane City at the weekend, they will have to be mindful that the Citizens are no pushovers.

City were the only team to defeat Sundowns last season to end their invincible dream at the same venue. They return to Loftus tonight with Sundowns having already tasted defeat in the Betway Premiership.

"We go into the Sundowns match with the same game plan ... which is to win. I don't change my mentality because of Sundowns, that we will change our approach, and we will sit in the low block, no," City coach Eric Tinkler said.

"We play the way we play irrespective of who the opposition are. The approach will be the same and after losing two points at home to Magesi [on Sunday], now makes collecting three against Sundowns more important."

Grant Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns
Grant Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns
Image: ALCHE GREEFF

Sundowns will welcome back Lucas Ribeiro Costa after he missed their Polokwane match due to a suspension, but they will still be without number one goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who attended the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris, France, on Monday.

After some players disappointed coach Manqoba Mngqithi on Sunday against Polokwane, he is likely to make changes again tonight.

Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Peter Shalulile, Grant Kekana, Mothobi Mvala and Thapelo Morena are likely to start.

Defender Kekana said they are still hurt by the Polokwane defeat. "We expect a tough game, a very competitive team [City]. Good signings this season, they might not have the best start but we know their qualities," Kekana told the Sundowns media yesterday.

"So, we need to also bring our A game. We are still hurt a bit by the loss at the weekend, but we will be looking to improve from that performance going into the City game.

"Our ball retention, our ball speed, shots at goal. I think we lacked those in the last game, and it is something [the defeat] that's not in our DNA. We will be looking to improve that and hopefully get a better result than we did at the weekend."

City will be without Tshegofatso Nyama due to suspension. 

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