Themba Zwane’s rallying cry as Mamelodi Sundowns move closer to 18th PSL title

Mamelodi Sundowns will be aiming to take another major step toward wrapping up yet another dominant Premiership campaign when they host Stellenbosch FC at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium this afternoon (3pm kickoff).

The Brazilians are just four points away from clinching an unprecedented eighth consecutive league title, and remain firmly in control at the summit.

They’ll be eager to assert their dominance over a Stellenbosch side still battling for a top-three finish and a return to continental football.

Stellies recently bowed out of the CAF Confederation Cup after a narrow 1-0 aggregate semi-final loss to Simba SC.

Since their historic continental run came to an end, they have since turned their focus back to domestic matters.

They currently sit one point behind third-placed Sekhukhune United, but still have a game in hand.

Sundowns claimed a narrow 1-0 win when the two sides met in the league back in December, though Stellenbosch will take confidence from their back-to-back 1-0 victories over the Pretoria giants in the MTN8 earlier this season.

Miguel Cardoso and his squad remain focused on continental success, having already booked a spot in the CAF Champions League final.

The recent return of skipper Themba Zwane from a lengthy injury layoff adds further depth and leadership as the team chase a potential league and continental double.

Zwane, who is slowly building up his match fitness, expects a stern test from the Cape outfit.

“It’s going to be a tough one,” Zwane said.

“We have been pushing ourselves, and it’s going to be an exciting game.

“They were playing the Confed Cup and they did well.

’They are pushing, but I can say the same with us, because we have been doing well and we have been scoring goals, creating chances, and playing good football.

Sundowns are now on the verge of clinching their record 18th league title, and skipper Zwane has called for composure in the final stretch as they look to close out the campaign.

“It’s a crucial moment for us. We’re close to winning the league, and we just need to keep our heads down, stay focused on the remaining games, remain humble, work hard, and stick to the process,” the Bafana stalwart said.

“Once we’ve wrapped it up, we’ll celebrate together as a team.”

The Bafana Bafana international was pleased to be back in action, but also acknowledged the strides Stellenbosch have made under Steve Barker, highlighting the team’s collective strengths. 

The Sundowns midfielder spoke highly of his former teammate Lesiba Nku, praising both his individual quality and the Cape side’s unity.

“It feels great; it is a moment that I have been working very hard for,” Zwane said.

“For me to be part of the team makes me happy, and I can also see with my teammates that they are also happy for me. 

“The excitement is there, and you can see by the way we are playing that we are doing well and winning games, but the brotherhood and team spirit is more important

“I can say Lesiba Nku is a quality player, but they have a lot of quality players because they are a hard-working team.

“You can’t single out one player, as they are stronger as a collective; it will be an exciting game.”