Mokwena relishing Sundowns’ clash with ‘one of my favourite coaches, Ernst’

Four days after their gruelling Caf Champions League quarterfinal victory on Friday, Mamelodi Sundowns travel to struggling Cape Town Spurs in the DStv Premiership on Tuesday.

The clash between the log leaders and bottom-of-the-table side at Athlone Stadium kicks off at 7.30pm.

On Friday, Sundowns were went through a hell ride before overcoming Young Africans, popularly known as Yanga, 3-2 on penalties to reach the Champions League semifinals.

Downs survived a VAR controversy at Loftus Versfeld as Yanga midfielder Aziz Ki produced a moment of brilliance to beat Bafana Bafana keeper Ronwen Williams. The 60th-minute strike ricocheted down off the crossbar and appeared to have bounced over the goal line before the spin of the ball took it back to the field of play. Yanga have lodged a formal complaint over possible match-fixing with the Confederation of African Football.

The Premiership champions will now travel to Esperance of Tunisia for their Champions League's semifinals first leg clash on April 19. Before then, desperate Spurs stand in the way of Downs' march to their seventh league title in a row. 

Promoted Spurs have been bottom of the log from the first week. A win for the Urban Warriors will see them improving their situation marginally as it would reduce the deficit from 15th-placed Richards Bay (with 17 points from 23 matches) to two points. Spurs also have a game in hand on Bay.

A win for Sundowns would see them go to 52 points, opening a 13-point advantage over second-placed Stellenbosch with two games in hand.

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, who was ecstatic after their victory over Yanga on Friday, said he is looking forward to coming face-to-face with Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp.

“We have a tough one on Tuesday against one of my favourite coaches, Ernst. I'm looking forward to seeing him,” Mokwena said.

“Maybe he will bring a smile to my face on Tuesday. He is someone I adore big time and that's true; don't spin it [you] guys [in the media].”

Mokwena is also content as he sees a sign of improvement from his team compared to last season.

“For me, this is already an improvement from last season, one trophy [in the inaugural African Football League] already, huge gap in the league. We are in the [Nedbank Cup] semifinals as we were last season. We were in the final of the MTN8, which we didn't make last season.

“I'm proud of what I see as an improvement and if it is a marginal improvement, it's enough for me. 

“Big credit to the players. It was difficult on Friday and I expected it to be that way because this is the Champions League and anyone who expected it to be a walkover doesn't understand how difficult this competition is.”

This week's fixtures

Tuesday: Cape Town Spurs vs Mamelodi Sundowns, Athlone Stadium (7.30pm)

Nedbank Cup quarterfinals

Friday; University of Pretoria vs Mamelodi Sundowns, Lucas Moripe Stadium (7pm)

Saturday: Stellenbosch FC vs SuperSport United, Danie Craven Stadium (3pm); AmaZulu vs Orlando Pirates, Moses Mabhida Stadium (6pm)

Sunday: TS Galaxy vs Chippa United, Mbombela (3pm)