'I was not expecting Kaizer Chiefs to give City a hard time,' says Sundowns coach Mosimane

26 April 2017 - 14:48 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
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Mamelodi Sundowns head coach (C) Pitso Mosimane shakes a hand with his Ajax Cape Town counterpart Stanley Menzo after the Absa Premiership match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on April 25, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach (C) Pitso Mosimane shakes a hand with his Ajax Cape Town counterpart Stanley Menzo after the Absa Premiership match at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on April 25, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

In a bid to take pressure away from his players‚ Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane insists that current Absa Premiership logleaders Cape Town City are favourites to win the title.

Speaking after their vital 2-0 win over Ajax Cape Town at Loftus on Tuesday night‚ which took the Brazilians to second spot on the log with two games in hand‚ Mosimane said City’s advantage is that they have points in the bag.

“It is in City’s hands at the moment because‚ no matter what you say‚ they have the points in the bag and when you have the points you remain on the top of the log‚" he said.

  • Cape Town City start to believe they can win the league after beating ChiefsThe spirit and ‘never-say-die’ attitude shown by Cape Town City players in sneaking a dramatic win over Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday and staying top of the table could prove the catalyst to go on and win the Premier Soccer League title‚ said coach Eric Tinkler. 

"They have the chance and the opportunity is on them.

"They are in a better position that anybody else.”

Mosimane added that the other advantage coach Eric Tinkler’s charges are enjoying is that they don’t have a congested fixture list and this allows them to approach most of their matches in a fresh state.

  • Costa's return to form gives Chelsea new momentum in title bidThe central role that Diego Costa played in Chelsea's 4-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday suggests the Premier League leaders are going into the season's climax firing on all cylinders again. 

“I have also told you that they are a well rested team‚" he said.

"When was the last time they played?

"They are very fresh and I was not expecting Kaizer Chiefs to give them a hard time on Tuesday.

"Chiefs played last weekend and went to extra time in the cup against SuperSport‚ which gave City the edge because they were rested.

"We have a game in Durban in two days time and another one on Monday.”

  • Costa's return to form gives Chelsea new momentum in title bidThe central role that Diego Costa played in Chelsea's 4-2 win over Southampton on Tuesday suggests the Premier League leaders are going into the season's climax firing on all cylinders again. 

City only return to action on Monday when they travel to Maritzburg United at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg and by that time Sundowns would have played against Golden Arrows in Durban on Friday.

When City take on Maritzburg United on Monday‚ Sundowns will also be in action against Bidvest Wits in Johannesburg.

The league enters the business end with Sundowns sitting second on the log with two games in hand and Mosimane said he was happy with the progress they have made so far.

  • Maritzburg United tops Chippa United in a heated affairChippa United failed to break their winless deadlock in the Premier Soccer League when they lost 3-2 to Maritzburg United in a heated affair, at Nelson Mandela Stadium. 

“I am happy where we are at the moment because we are in the best position and we must stay there.

"We have two games in hand but you must remember that if we get too excited the situation can reverse in the case of us losing and Wits winning.

"At the moment‚ it’s about the mathematics and it is very important for us not to lose to Golden Arrows.”

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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