MATSHELANE MAMABOLO
THERE will be more than just the three points at stake when Mamelodi Sundowns welcome AmaZulu to Loftus Versfeld for a DStv Premiership clash tonight.
The Brazilians are set to extend their unbeaten run to a massive 40 matches as they endeavour to increase their chances of winning a seventh successive league title. Rulani Mokwena and his team were last defeated on September 2, 2022, when they suffered a 2-1 loss to SuperSport United.
They enjoy a massive nine-point lead over second-placed Cape Town City with two games in hand, and unless the wheels come off, there is every reason to believe Sundowns will be champions once again in the 2023/24 campaign.
Success tonight will also see them notch up another minor milestone as they will join TS Galaxy as the team with the most points (20) in home matches.
AmaZulu are unlikely to stop Sundowns in their tracks, the fact that the Brazilians have not won their last three league matches notwithstanding. Sundowns have drawn against Cape Town City, Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates.
Then there was that clash with Moroka Swallows that they won 3-0 via a walkover after the Birds failed to honour the fixture at Loftus.
Since the break induced by the Africa Cup of Nations, Sundowns drew with Pirates in the league but then showed their class with back-to-back victories over La Masia and Nouadhibou in the Nedbank Cup and CAF Champions League, respectively.
Those matches showcased the Chloorkop-based side’s incredible strength in depth as Mokwena fielded very different teams and still managed to produce compelling performances as they won with ease.
He is likely to again put out a starting line-up not many would recognise tonight as he anticipates the weekend’s Champions League clash with TP Mazembe.
Though both teams have already qualified for the knockout stage, there is the small matter of deciding the group winners and only victory will ensure Sundowns take the honours.
That, though, is at the weekend. Tonight Sundowns are on a mission to add three more points to their kitty while extending their impressive unbeaten run in the domestic championship to 40 matches.
The record pales into insignificance when compared to Asec Mimosas’ 108 matches unbeaten over six seasons in all competitions between 1989 and 1995, when they won six league titles under three different coaches.
But still, it will be a massive feat in the fledgling, yet already highly decorated career of young Mokwena as he seeks to live up to the legendary status of his family’s football lineage, after his grandfather Eric “Scara” Sono, uncle Jomo Sono and father Julius Sono.
