Leopards await buoyant Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns’ position in the Caf Champions League looks quite decent after their win against ASEC Mimosas last week – they top the standings in Group A.

But Pitso Mosimane and his men will need to get their act together on the domestic front as they continue their Absa Premiership title defence and a quest for a fourth crown under him.

The Brazilians host Black Leopards at Loftus Versfeld tonight as they look to reduce Bidvest Wits’ lead to three points.

The advantage that Downs seem to have is the games in hand which they have over Gavin Hunt’s Students, which will be two after tonight’s clash.

Masandawana are coming off back-to-back defeats in the Nedbank Cup and the league, losing to Clinton Larsen’s Chippa United and an AmaZulu side coached by Cavin Johnson.

The Usuthu coach – who ended Downs’ 28-match unbeaten run in the league – believes his counterpart, Mosimane, is the favourite ahead of Hunt to claim this season’s championship. Johnson says Downs are a team that possess enough quality to win the league.

“At this point I still give it to Sundowns. They have got a lot of quality in that team, it is just about putting the right players on the pitch and the players making sure they do what the coach wants from them.

“I always fancy Mamelodi Sundowns, they are a quality team. Wits, though, will be a close call,” said Johnson, who lost Argentine forward Emiliano Tade to the Brazilians last week.

Meanwhile, Lidoda Duvha lost their second game under Dylan Kerr following a 3-0 thumping by Bloemfontein Celtic this past weekend.

While the side look to get back to winning ways in their push to finish in the top eight, as they are within six points from the top half of the standings, it is unclear whether captain Marks Munyai will play a prominent role again.

The 27-year-old signed a pre-contract with Highlands Park behind Leopards’ back, and that did not sit well with Kerr, who labelled Munyai a “two-faced liar”.

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