Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - With a game in hand over Premiership leaders SuperSport United heading into the weekend's fixtures, Mamelodi Sundowns skipper Alje Schut says the Brazilians are itching to get back to the top of the table.
Four games into the new season and yet to be defeated, Sundowns have claimed eight points and occupy fifth place in the league standings.
A victory over opponents Bidvest Wits at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, could see Bafana Ba Style in the hunt for the number one spot.
"This is a very big match for us teams because the winner will [be] top of the table, but more for us because we want vindication after our last result," Schut said ahead of Saturday's match.
Sundowns' thrilling encounter against Ajax Cape Town on Tuesday ended in a 2-2 stalemate, thanks to a late Cuthbert Malajila equaliser which kept the Brazilians' unbeaten record intact.
"We have to win against Wits, especially after the unfortunate draw with Ajax Cape Town, where I feel we did everything right except concede two soft goals," Schut said.
"That’s all behind us now and we have to focus on our next big task, which is against Wits."
With three teams leading the pack in a congested top half of the table, Sundowns will know exactly what is expected of them, with their fixture sandwiched between all three leaders' games on Saturday.
At 15:00, Moroka Swallows - in second place after a 2-1 victory over SuperSport in midweek - take on Maritzburg United, before Sundowns and Wits kick-off at 6pm.
Then, at 20:15, SuperSport do battle against third-placed AmaZulu in Durban.
Last season the Brazilians took four points off the Clever Boys, winning 2-0 in Johannesburg before a 2-2 draw in the return game.
Schut warned that Wits posed a formidable threat, having also not lost a game in the campaign.
"A good result will go a long way in building the players’ confidence going forward in the season," Schut said.
"Any team coached by Gavin Hunt [Wits coach] is always difficult to play against because his players fight for everything until the last breath.
"Now Wits also have a very strong squad with very good players, like Sibusiso Vilakazi, Ryan Chapman, and Benjani Mwaruwari, just to mention a few. If we are to win, we have to be very sharp and give nothing away."
