Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy insists the league title race is still wide open

Benni McCarthy is adamant that the league title race is still wide open and the Cape Town City coach continues to hold onto this view even after his side's defeat to leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus on Tuesday night.

Sundowns enjoy a one-point advantage over second-placed Bidvest Wits after beating City 3-2 and the Brazilians also have a game in hand.

But McCarthy insisted that Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane and his charges do not hold all the aces and there will be further twists to the script before the end of the season in May.

“It is not an advantage to anyone because there are still a number of matches to go before the end of the season........ because in this league anyone can beat anyone‚” he said after the defeat. 

“There is no more certainty that Sundowns‚ Chiefs or Pirates will run teams over‚ everyone have their bad spells.

"There is no doubt that Sundowns have done themselves a favour by beating us but Wits are still there and everyone will be looking over their shoulder to see who is coming to sneak through the back door or jump through the window.

"It is heating up and that’s what we expect and we want‚ our league is getting better and stronger. It is just that the middle man in green needs to step up also.”

Looking back at the entertaining clash against Sundowns‚ McCarthy admitted that they lost to a better team but they did not disgrace themselves.

“It was not one of our best days.

"Sundowns wanted it more than us and their experience came to the party for them.

"They have been in this type of situations before‚ for us it is a novelty and the occasion at times will be big for my players because they have never been in this situation before.

“We are a team that wants to grow and achieve big things in the future but certain occasions and moments are going to be big to handle and the match against Sundowns was one of those occasions.

"Nevertheless‚ we came here and gave them a good game because we never sat back and rolled over.

"Sundowns took their chances and they probably could have scored more and the better team at the end of the day won.

“We have been doing well up until now‚ but we had too many players who were not at their best‚ not up for the fight and that is why we came up short.

"Kermit Erasmus came on and showed why we wanted him by showing hunger‚ it is not easy for us travelling between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

"We just have to manage the situation the best that we can on Saturday‚ we have another tough match against Wits and it is definitely not getting easier for us.”