Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi admits the DStv Premiership title can be decided against SuperSport United, but is more focused on completing their objective in getting maximum points in their final matches.
The Brazilians are set to welcome neighbourhood rivals SuperSport to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the latest edition of the Tshwane derby in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday.
Sundowns currently sit top of the league standings, seven points above second-placed AmaZulu, while SuperSport come into this clash occupying sixth place on the log with 41 points.
Mngqithi knows that a win over their Tshwane rivals will secure them the title, but is more focused on securing the desired points in their final games against Swallows FC, Bloemfontein Celtic and Cape Town City.
‘We’re not looking to put a lot of pressure on the players to look at this game as a title decider, we still want them to give the same energy even in the next three matches because for us it is very important to win every match that we play and to try and achieve our targets,’ Mngqithi told his club’s official website.
‘According to our process, this is the second match of the last cycle of five games, we have won the first one [and now] all our attention is on trying to make sure that we achieve our desired targets in the last four matches.
‘It just happens that SuperSport can decide the championship but the intention is to try and get the number of points that we have targeted, as it is now we are short of nine points in this cycle.
‘They are showing very good signs, they are a decent team. [Bradley] Grobler is still the top goalscorer, [Sipho] Mbule has had a wonderful season, SuperSport scores a lot of goals from crosses and from outside the box.
‘We know very well [that] we are not playing a team that is a pushover. Ronwen Williams has come back again and now they are looking like a team that really wants to launch a potential comeback, and that makes this game very important for both teams.’