Champions Mamelodi Sundowns will lift the DStv Premiership trophy when they take on Royal AM in their final game of the campaign at the Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Royal AM are currently on a five-game winless run across all competitions after they played out to a thrilling 2-2 draw against Golden Arrows in their last league match at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium when goals from Pule Sydney Mmodi and Nduduzo Sibiya cancelled out goals from Mfundo Thikazi and Mokete Mogaila as both sides shared the spoils.
Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to return to winning ways after they suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC in their final home game of the season at the ABSA Tuks Stadium through a brace by Ashley Du Preez and Jayden Adams.
Thwihli Thwahla will come into this fixture sitting in third place in the league standings – level on 36 points with Kaizer Chiefs in fourth, while Sundowns sit at the summit of the table with 62 points from 29 matches, 26 points clear of Royal AM.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena says: “This week we have to train like a team that has lost 3-0 and train very, very hard and knuckle down and try to prepare ourselves for what’s gonna be very difficult two games to go before the season ends.
It’s very important that we go to our next matches and try our level best to win so that we end the season on a very good note and to win so that we can prepare ourselves for a very, very difficult match that’s coming ahead.
“I think today was a day of the unfamiliar. We don’t defend like that, we don’t concede goals like that [and] unfamiliar because our supporters generally don’t sing after we concede but today they were magnificent.
The results also go to show that what we’ve done this season has been incredible. Today it shows that to win games in the Premier League and to be consistent it’s not as easy as people think and we’ve done that.”
History will be on Mamelodi Sundowns’ side when they take on Royal AM, having managed to secure three wins in the last five meetings, while one game has ended in a goalless draw and Royal AM claimed the win in the other fixture.
John Maduka and Manqoba Mngqithi will be boosted by the fact that they’ll both have their entire squads fully fit for their final game of the season in Chatsworth.
Peter Shalulile, who is still three goals from breaking Collins Mbesuma’s goal scoring record, will finish the campaign as the top scorer but the Namibian will be relishing the chance to find the back of the net in the final game after failing to score in his last two league matches.
Victor Letsoalo will finish second in the goal scoring charts behind Shalulile, having scored 14 league goals already this season, looking to end his four-match goal drought.
Form Guide:
Royal AM Form:
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Mamelodi Sundowns Form:
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