Sundowns coach Mokwena unfazed by festive season load

Most people raised their eyebrows when the DStv Premiership fixtures were released for the upcoming 2022/23 campaign, as there will be a feast of games over the festive season.

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This will be the first time where the league does not go into a break at the end of the year, as the mid-season 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar has put a spanner in the works.

The global spectacle will run from 14 November until 18 December.

Mamelodi Sundowns will resume against Orlando Pirates on New Year’s eve at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Sundowns co-head coach Rulani Mokwena is also among those who did not expect to see any fixtures at the end of the year and in early January. At the same time, he welcomed the change of schedule.

“It has never been done in South African football before but the reality is that it’s done in most parts of the world,” said Mokwena, who anticipates a tough encounter with the Sea Robbers.

The defending DStv Premiership champions have Pirates in their back pocket, however, as they won all of the last five meetings with the Buccaneers, losing only twice to them in the last 10 confrontations.

“In England they play during the festive period. It is something that we are looking forward to and hopefully we can get it right with regards to how we prepare for that fixture.

“It is going to be a difficult one because we expect a much stronger Pirates this season but let’s see how it goes and hopefully we are ready for that match. There will be a lot of fireworks this season,” added Mokwena.

Meanwhile, Downs are looking to make their final signing ahead of the new season as they are still searching for Ricardo Nascimento’s replacement.

“We lost a very important player in Ricardo and we feel we are not too covered in that space. Last season Divine Lunga played as a left-sided central defender and it is always important to have a left-footed central defender, to give you balance and move the ball from the left hand side,” said Mokwena.

He added: “Most attackers are right footed but it makes it a little bit easier if you have a left footed defender.”