Sundowns won’t take suffering Swallows lightly

If you’ve bothered listening to pre and post-match interviews of coaches, you’ve probably heard the phrase “the best way to defend is to attack” many times.

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This has been the motto of Mamelodi Sundowns in the early stages of the DStv Premiership. Downs coaches have always reiterated that they don’t necessarily defend from the back, but their defending starts with their front line, which is why they have not let in a single goal in the league this season.

However, credit has to be given to the defence too, where Rushine De Reuck has been a regular feature this season alongside Grant Kekana and Mosa Lebusa. 

“We pride ourselves in our defence and everyone is playing well. I think what helps is that everyone has a good relationship off the field. We also know what is expected from us because we play for a big club and that if we keep clean sheets, chances of winning are higher so we will continue working on that. It is not only us as defenders and the goalkeepers who are doing the work, but everyone is pulling their weight and we must give credit to the whole team,” said De Reuck.

Judging on the performance and form of their next opponent, Swallows FC, who come off the back of a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Cape Town City in the second-leg of the MTN8 semifinal, Sundowns are expected to find the going easy against a side that has only netted a single goal in the league this season. 

Be that as it may, De Reuck says he and his teammates won’t underestimate The Birds when they host them on Sunday in Pretoria. 

“Swallows are a very structured team, they are very difficult to play against and they keep many clean sheets, so they are going to be difficult to play against. We need to try and break them down, when they start sitting in, if we apply ourselves, I know we will do well. We can’t be looking at that (4-0 loss) because it was a cup game and this is a league game and it is different. We need to win this game and it is very important to go into the Fifa break with that winning feeling,” added the Bafana Bafana international.