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Sundowns must make a move
04/12/2007 16:52 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns occupy an unusual eighth place on the Premier League log and with a third of the season gone, and Ajax Cape Town 10 points ahead of them, a sixth soccer league title seems distant.
Sundowns face Black Leopards on Wednesday night in a league clash and fixtures won't get any easier for them as teams, such as Leopards, are already fighting to get away from the relegation zone.
Sundowns have 14 points, Leopards have nine and are second from the bottom, and there is no guessing who wants maximum points more. And being the glamour club they are, every game will be a Cup final until the end of this year.
After Leopards they face SuperSport United in a Tshwane derby, log leaders Ajax in Cape Town, Platinum Stars at home and Free State Stars at their stronghold in Bethlehem.
It's without a doubt an uphill battle for their highly decorated coach Gordon Igesund, whose team have not performed with the swagger that accompanies a league champ.
Sundowns have been held to draws by Santos, Thanda Royal Zulu and Jomo Cosmos, teams with less depth than the Chloorkop-based club. They've beaten the resurgent Orlando Pirates and the tenacious Bloemfontein Celtic away, but their form is inconsistent and it's either an unbeatable Sundowns or below-par Brazilians that will face Leopards on Wednesday.
Their ambition is to defend their title successfully and against teams such as Leopards they have to be at their best, consistently, which is something the Brazilians lack at the moment.
Nevertheless, it is Sundowns' game to win if their misfiring strikers find the target and if they are to stay on course for another league title, then victory could pave the way for a festive season this month.
Kick off is at 19:30.
- SAPA
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