Mamelodi Sundowns will be hoping to extend their lead at the top of the Absa Premiership table to six points when they take on Golden Arrows on Tuesday, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.
The Brazilians will be hoping to do the double over Abafana Bes’thende, having claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Clinton Larsen’s side when the two sides met at the Princess Magogo Stadium on 10 December 2017.
Masandawana will head into their midweek fixture high in confidence after extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 games following their 2-0 victory against Bidvest Wits over the weekend.
Sundowns currently occupy first place in the league standings with 52 points after claiming 16 wins from 26 matches played so far this season.
Coach Pitso Mosimane said: ‘Hopefully, we can wrap it [league title] up early so that we can rest the important players.
‘I can see that people are happy, but we need to calm down. Hopefully, we can decide it earlier.’
Meanwhile, Arrows come into this encounter off the back of a 1-1 draw with Free State Stars when Siphelele Magubane cancelled out Nkanyiso Mngwengwe’s own goal at the Princess Magogo Stadium on 7 April.
Abafana Bes’thende are currently placed 12th in the PSL standings with 31 points, having claimed six wins from 26 matches.
Coach Clinton Larsen said: ‘When we were players as well, when we had a heavy schedule like this, we liked it as well. Because when I was player, I’d prefer to play than train.
‘So when you got three games in a week, you look forward to it. It is what you do between the matches, how you rest, how you recover. Big football players want to be on the field all the time.
‘The Sundowns players will tell you the same thing.’
However, the encounter promises to be an entertaining one with both sides looking to claim all three points at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday, with kick-off set for 19:30.
Last five games:
Mamelodi Sundowns: WWWWW
Golden Arrows: DWLDW
Photo: Gerhard Duraan/BackpagePix