The Absa Premiership is a wide-open roller coaster‚ Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane said after his side went back to the top of the log on goal difference with their 2- 1 victory against University of Pretoria at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday night.
Sundowns ran out comfortable enough winners over relegation-threatened Tuks to go to 30 points‚ level with second-placed Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Aces had briefly held the lead after their 2-1 victory against then league leaders — and now third a point adrift — Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.
Mosimane said he expects the PSL lead to continue changing hands with similar frequency as the season continues.
“I see that this is going to be a roller-coaster every week‚ and it’s beautiful‚” the Downs coach said. “What I like is that now we have a new party coming in — Mpumalanga Black Aces. So maybe the focus will shift a bit away from Sundowns.
“Because Wits are still in it. And I still believe Kaizer Chiefs are part of it.”
Mosimane‚ who won the PSL with Sundowns in 2013-14‚ said he believes Aces can sustain their unexpected challenge under Muhsin Ertugral.
“They beat Wits‚ so why not? They’ve only lost two games‚ and they’ve scored the same amount of goals as us . So let’s see‚” the Downs coach said.
“It’s a strange but very exciting league where you find we lose to Golden Arrows‚ but Arrows beat Pirates. We lose to Aces‚ and Aces go to Wits and win.
“I said last week that if you’d asked me if I would take 1-0 against Tuks I would have said‚ ‘Yes’. And it was 2-1‚ which was close to that.”
Sundowns took the lead through form striker Khama Billiat in the 23rd minute‚ Leonard Castro adding a second in the 72nd. Thabo Mnyamane pulled one back with a solo effort in the 80th.
Mosimane praised Tuks for a fighting performance‚ especially in the second half.
“I said to them‚ ‘I don’t know if you played like this because it was a local derby or because you were playing against Sundowns. If you give this kind of effort‚ I don’t think you can lose easily’.
“I just want to warn whoever plays them to be very careful. We’ve played other teams here and this is a good team.”
Tuks coach Sammy Troughton could only take small consolation at a dogged performance from his team in the second half that‚ like Wednesday night’s 2-0 away defeat against Orlando Pirates‚ yielded nothing in terms of points for his 15th-placed team.
“Sundowns in the first half showed their class and had a lot of possession‚ and we were chasing shadows‚” Troughton said.
“At half time we had to have a look at things‚ and change the plan. We said we had to be braver‚ go forward‚ and put pressure on them. Because we all know Sundowns are an attacking team‚ and we had to ask questions of them defensively.
“And I think we did that in the second half. Then we gave away a silly goal.”
“I know it’s a game of no returns in terms of points. But I’m proud of the lads for the way they responded in the second half‚ and showed that they can mix it up.”
Tuks’ task gets no easier as they meet in-form Aces at their Stadium on Sunday. Sundowns face SuperSport United Lucas Moripe on Saturday.
Pitso expects PSL lead to continue changing hands
Sundowns ran out comfortable enough winners over relegation-threatened Tuks to go to 30 points‚ level with second-placed Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Aces had briefly held the lead after their 2-1 victory against then league leaders — and now third a point adrift — Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.
Mosimane said he expects the PSL lead to continue changing hands with similar frequency as the season continues.
“I see that this is going to be a roller-coaster every week‚ and it’s beautiful‚” the Downs coach said. “What I like is that now we have a new party coming in — Mpumalanga Black Aces. So maybe the focus will shift a bit away from Sundowns.
“Because Wits are still in it. And I still believe Kaizer Chiefs are part of it.”
Mosimane‚ who won the PSL with Sundowns in 2013-14‚ said he believes Aces can sustain their unexpected challenge under Muhsin Ertugral.
“They beat Wits‚ so why not? They’ve only lost two games‚ and they’ve scored the same amount of goals as us . So let’s see‚” the Downs coach said.
“It’s a strange but very exciting league where you find we lose to Golden Arrows‚ but Arrows beat Pirates. We lose to Aces‚ and Aces go to Wits and win.
“I said last week that if you’d asked me if I would take 1-0 against Tuks I would have said‚ ‘Yes’. And it was 2-1‚ which was close to that.”
Sundowns took the lead through form striker Khama Billiat in the 23rd minute‚ Leonard Castro adding a second in the 72nd. Thabo Mnyamane pulled one back with a solo effort in the 80th.
Mosimane praised Tuks for a fighting performance‚ especially in the second half.
“I said to them‚ ‘I don’t know if you played like this because it was a local derby or because you were playing against Sundowns. If you give this kind of effort‚ I don’t think you can lose easily’.
“I just want to warn whoever plays them to be very careful. We’ve played other teams here and this is a good team.”
Tuks coach Sammy Troughton could only take small consolation at a dogged performance from his team in the second half that‚ like Wednesday night’s 2-0 away defeat against Orlando Pirates‚ yielded nothing in terms of points for his 15th-placed team.
“Sundowns in the first half showed their class and had a lot of possession‚ and we were chasing shadows‚” Troughton said.
“At half time we had to have a look at things‚ and change the plan. We said we had to be braver‚ go forward‚ and put pressure on them. Because we all know Sundowns are an attacking team‚ and we had to ask questions of them defensively.
“And I think we did that in the second half. Then we gave away a silly goal.”
“I know it’s a game of no returns in terms of points. But I’m proud of the lads for the way they responded in the second half‚ and showed that they can mix it up.”
Tuks’ task gets no easier as they meet in-form Aces at their Stadium on Sunday. Sundowns face SuperSport United Lucas Moripe on Saturday.
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