Sundowns expecting tough clash against wounded AmaZulu

Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the DStv Premiership standings when they visit AmaZulu at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday.

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The Brazilians currently lead second-placed Cape Town City by two points, but the defending league champions have played four games less than the Citizens.

Speaking ahead of the AmaZulu clash, midfielder Siphelele Mkhulise said Sundowns are expecting a tough clash against Usuthu who lost 3-2 to TS Galaxy in the semifinals of the Carling Knockout last Sunday.

“We are expecting a difficult game against Amazulu because they didn’t have a good game over the weekend, so they will want to go all out and deliver an exceptional performance. We are also ready for the challenge as we also did not achieve the expected results over the weekend,” said Mkhulise.

Mkhulise added that Sundowns will be looking to stretch their lead at the top by ensuring that they collect maximum points in their upcoming encounters, starting with the AmaZulu game.

“We want to stretch the gap when it comes to points in the league. There are a few teams that are slightly behind us, so we will try to ensure that they don’t surpass us,” Mkhulise stated.

“Their (AmaZulu) run has not been that great in the league, so heading into this encounter, they will want to go all out and redeem themselves through beating us. They are also playing home, which will boost their confidence. We will however not allow them to walk away with the three points because we are also looking to collect the maximum points. We have laid some objectives so we will ensure that we have a great game and win,” he said.

“We are aware that their striker, Sede Dion, has been doing very well. He has been scoring goals for them, so he is the one player we have to pay close attention to,” commented Mkhulise.

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Meanwhile, AmaZulu defender Mbongeni Gumede is also expecting a difficult clash against the Brazilians.

“It’s going to be a difficult game for us and we all know that Sundowns is a team that plays with determination,” Gumede said.

“It is one of the biggest teams in South Africa. We know what we are up against. We were ready for them. We know what to do when we face them.”

The game is set to kick off at 7.30pm this evening.