Smelling gold and black blood
Whisper this quietly, for the winds of change blow so often in the Absa Premiership, but if Mamelodi Sundowns win at Stellenbosch FC tomorrow evening, are Pitso Mosimane's men not suddenly favourites to lift the Absa Premiership title for a third season in a row?
Ernst Middendorp, coach of Kaizer Chiefs (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Kaizer Chiefs were belted by an AmaZulu sucker punch on Saturday night, while Sundowns, a few hours earlier, had been prematurely, by their high standards, ejected from the Caf Champions League by Al Ahly. The defeat to Ahly was no doubt hugely disappointing for Pitso Mosimane, who prides himself on his side’s continental achievements, but worryingly for Amakhosi, the most powerful squad in the country is now primed only for a domestic assault, with both the Nedbank Cup and Absa Premiership in their sights.
Chiefs appeared to have set the record straight the previous weekend, when they took down Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby. In truth, however, the Buccaneers were the better side in that game, with Daniel Akpeyi producing an unbelievable display in the Chiefs goal. The decline of Ernst Middnedorp’s side in 2020 has been noticeable, with 11 points dropped in the league out of 24, in contrast to a whopping 35 points out of a possible 42 points picked up before Christmas.
So if the loss at home to AmaZulu was surprising, it was perhaps a sign of a wider problem, with Chiefs’ defence starting to lose its assurance, and their attack failing to find the consistency of late 2019. Chiefs were also, of course, knocked out of the Nedbank Cup this year, by Highlands Park.
Sundowns, meanwhile, must be starting to smell gold and black blood in the league, while also staying in the cup, and until Saturday, keeping the South African flag flying high in the Champions League. This is a side, too, that under Mosimane has been there and done it all, and that has an array of artillery that is simply not available to other squads in the Premiership.
Sundowns appear to have found their domestic form at just the right time, winning three league games in a row since losing to Orlando Pirates on 15 January. Stellebosch will, no doubt be determined to avenge their league defeat last year at Mamelodi Sundowns, in which Steve Barker had every right to feel aggrieved with the match officials. As tough as Stellenbosch have been to beat in the Cape this season, however, I do think Sundowns will have too much for them, tightening up the title race yet further, and leaving Chiefs fans with increasingly sweaty palms heading into the final couple of months of the season.
Indeed, if Sundowns can beat Orlando Pirates on 17 March, a day before Chiefs play their next league match at home to Bidvest Wits, the gap at the top will be just a single point, with eight matches left to play. This is certainly an enticing prospect for the neutral, while Bidvest Wits and Orlando Pirates also cannot be counted out, even though the former appear to be stuck in the mud, and the latter seem happy not to win it this season, which I find to be either some kind of psychological gamesmanship, or utterly bizarre. How can a side of such pedigree, that hasn’t won a trophy in so long, be content finishing only close to the top?
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