Mosimane ahead of Amakhosi showdown: 'We might not even win against Chiefs'

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has dismissed suggestions that Thursday’s crunch Absa Premiership clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Orlando Stadium will decide the league title.

Leaders Chiefs and second-placed Sundowns are involved in a two-horse race for the league title and they go into this week’s hugely eagerly anticipated clash with only three points separating them.

Both teams meet having gone through inconsistent runs of results since football resumed in the bi-bubble with Amakhosi managing only one win‚ two draws and two losses.

For Sundowns and Mosimane‚ football in the bubble has also not been too kind to them as they have managed three draws‚ one win and one loss in their five matches.

“I don’t think Thursday is a title decider‚” said Mosimane after Sundowns’ hard fought 1-0 win over Golden Arrows on Monday.

“Sometimes the title can be won on the last match of the season. I have always told you guys that sometimes you value a point from a draw.

"We want to win against Chiefs to make everything correct but we might not even win against Chiefs. Mathematically the league will not be won on Thursday because this thing still has a heartbeat.

Mosimane‚ who has won four league titles with Sundowns‚ said it is time to buckle up because there is going to be turbulence in the remaining four matches.

“You have to buckle up‚ we are all feeling the pressure and the stress. It is difficult and you saw in the last ten minutes against Arrows‚ their defence was intact‚" he said.

"They make you fight hard to try and get the ball through them. We have been playing against reinforced defences for the last seven to eight years because everybody is against the ball when it comes to Sundowns. It’s football in the bubble and it's survival of the fittest. The fat lady hasn’t sung and we are still going.”

Looking back at the crucial win over Arrows‚ Mosimane hopes his players have found their rhythm at last.

“It was a very emotional game for us but we were patient‚" he said.

"In the last five to ten minutes I saw Sundowns playing and I hope my team is back. In the last ten minutes‚ we were playing against a re-enforced defence and we are more dangerous when playing against a defence that is re-enforced.

“There was good mentality from the substitutes that came on like Sibusiso Vilakazi‚ Themba Zwane and Lebohang Maboe. I am so happy because I told Zwane that he must have patience and we love him because anything can happen. I am happy that he scored but I am more that the pass came from Lebohang because he’s been having a lot of stress and pressure. We never showed any signs that we could concede a goal to be honest‚ it was nice and clean at the back.”