Africa-Press – South-Africa. Though Mamelodi Sundowns not kicked a ball in domestic football for almost six weeks, coach Rulani Mokwena is confident his players will maintain the same mentality and level they have displayed competing in Africa when they return to the DStv Premiership.
Sundowns resume their Premiership campaign away against SuperSport United in the Tshwane derby at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm). The defending champions have not played a domestic match since October 18 when they lost to TS Galaxy in the Carling Knockout Cup via penalties.
Sundowns have done well in their time competing continentally, winning the new African Football League (AFL) and kicking off their Caf Champions League group stage campaign with a 3-0 victory over Nouadhibou of Mauritania at Loftus Stadium on Sunday.
Mokwena does not expect the switch back to domestic football to be difficult for the six-time successive Premuiership champions as he insists that for his team it’s never about the competition or the opponent, but maintaining a level of effort for either.
“The reality is we just go one game at a time, one session at a time and we try to win on the day and whatever it is we have to participate in, we do it to the best of our ability,” Mokwena said.
“Even if it’s a friendly game, we try to win the friendly match. If it’s a small-sided game in training we try to win that.
“That’s the mentality we are trying to instil and that helps because you don’t have to play tournaments or matches in relation to the competition.
“You play them with the objective and mentality to win the match.” In spite of Sundowns being away from the domestic competition for more than a month, not much has changed for them in the race for the league title.
They were only removed from the top spot this past Sunday when Cape Town City defeated Golden Arrows 1-0 to climb to the summit. But the Brazilians have five games in hand (they have played eight to City’s 13) on the leaders.
A draw against SuperSport will take Downs back to the top. SuprSport are in third place with 23 points from 12 games played. That means a win to either side in the Tshwane derby will see that team spend the rest of the week leading the standings. Mokwena anticipates a tough game against Gavin Hunt’s SuperSport who will play their first home game at Lucas Moripe Stadium this season.
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